Kurama Goes Through Puberty
by Yojimbra
Summary: The spirts of Kurama the Kyuubi and Sakura Haruno are sent backwards in time. However instead of ending up in It's original forum Kurama finds Herself stuck in the infant body of Sakura Haruno. Being a child is going to be fun. Wait what's this puberty thing? Oh god why does her heart beat faster when she's around Naruto? Rated M for Violence language and sexual content. [Hiatus]
1. Back in time Being a toddler is awesome

Haruno Sakura's first words occurred at 3 months old. It was in the middle of the night. Her parents were sleeping. It was a cry that sounded like a word. No these were words. They had meaning. Feeling. Emotion. Most of which was pure anger.

"GOD FUCKING DAMMIT!" The scream was far too loud. To well constructed and far to menacing to come from a 3 month old pink haired little girl. So her parents thought that it was just a noise she made on accident. That they were hearing things. It was the most perfectly logical thing. Their daughter was loud after all and did keep them up most nights.

It was quite possible Mebuki and Kizashi Haruno were going insane. That's what they told themselves as they looked at their fowning baby girl. Arms crossed on her infant chest. Their daughter's face was one of pure rage. It was just a scream and they were hearing things.

"Son'ov a bitch." Both parents looked down at the baby. Blinking once. Twice.

There was no longer any doubt that their daughter's first words were two swears. Mebuki blamed her husband instantly before storming off to go to bed.

"Hey now." He said sweetly picking up the child. His child. "What's got you so grumpy. Diaper in a lump?"

Sakura stiffened slightly. And then relaxed instantly. She had indeed crapped herself with that mighty scream. That's where the Son'ov bitch came from after all. Allowing herself to be changed Sakura sucked on her binkie in annoyance.

Kurama. The Kyuubi didn't have a gender. Didn't have a sex. Didn't find humans in general to attractive. They were weird with their soft fleshy bodies made out of not chakra. And yet here _She._ And it was most definitely a she now. She was having taken over the Infant Sakura's body and soul. Sure some small part of the girl's soul still exist in the body. The take over wasn't nearly as easy as he first thought. The girl was wilful after all. But he wasn't expecting such willfulness at such a young age.

"Of all the possible. Couldn't be Sasuke or Naruto, no I got the girly girl." Kurama thought grumply in her mind. "Better than being stuck in that seal again though." she thought padding her stomach. "Suppose I'll be Naruto's Friend again. Heck I'll even be able to hit him." The smile creeped on her face. As Her father finished bouncing her up onto his shoulder.

"There you go baby girl, all better?" He asked placing her back down into her crib.

"I'm hungry." Sakrua. His 3 month old baby daughter said deadly serious.

Wordlessly Hizashi left and then came back with a lukewarm bottle a few minutes later. Before passing out on the floor.

"Guess I shouldn't speak for a while… When do humans talk again?" Kurama thought as she greedily sucked on the bottle. It was almost going so well. Everything was happy and he just had to try and Save that pink hair girl.

XXFlashbackXX

Sakura Haruno Stared at the 99 year old Naruto Uzumaki. Even on his deathbed he seemed so full of life.

"Are you sure about this Naruto, Kurama?" Sakura asked grasping his wrinkly hand with one of her own.

"I always knew you'd be the one to out live us Sakura-chan." Naruto said smiling. "But yea, We think it's best if you Seal Kurama away. He may be a nice guy and all but It's safer if he's in a person."

"I'm still not happy you choose our great grand daughter to be the next one." Sakura said frowning. "But she is still young, and has Uzumaki, Hyuuga, And Uchiha blood in her. So she can probably handle Kurama when he's grumpy."

"Hey don't sell yourself short. She's got Haruno in her too." He beamed at her. They had been married for Nearly twenty years. It was more of a formality thing since Sasuke and Hinata died.

"Right well. I'm going to miss you baka, though I won't be long for gone." Sakura said smiling. He laughed.

"Ha! You got another Twenty years in you Sakura-chan." Naruto's smile was still ungodly bright. "But hey you should do that thing Tsunade used to do and make yourself look younger. Find a handsome young stud to take care of you." Even on his deathbed he was looking out for her.

Orochimaru entered the room. Still looking as young as ever. "Kuku It's such a shame you refused my offer for a new body Naruto-kun" Orochimaru said moving to stand next to Sakura. "But regardless everything is ready for the transfer."

"Thanks Orochimaru, You've been a great help for a while now. With you here I know the leaf will be in more or less not entirely evil hands." Naruto smiled at the immortal snake.

"Yes well will of fire and all that." Orochimaru looked slightly abashed at the blondes compliments.

Suddenly his smile vanished and his body spasmed.

"We should get on with it." Naruto said frowning.

"Yes we should." A redhead voiced from above. Tan skin, dark teal eyes and deep black bags under his eyes. Gaara's Grandson. He'd been missing for twenty years.

"Shin, what are you doing here?" Sakura said standing up as quickly as she could. For a 100 year old lady it was still pretty fast.

"Becoming a god." He removed his cloak reveals dozens of seals along his body. "I have them all. But Kurama. Seal him in me quickly."

And then everything went sideways.

Sakura Naruto, and Orochimaru fought Shin. They were old. They were losing Kurama fought back. And then And then.

They was suddenly being flung backwards in time. They reached for Naruto. But the fool was dead already. So Kurama grabbed for Sakura. Pulling her soul with along.

Kurama tried desperately to Navigate the time streams. Ignoring the crumbling world behind them. That peace they had worked so hard to build and maintain vanishing behind them. It was Sakura, that girl who had perfect control that had Navigated them back on the correct time stream. Decades passed in the blink of an eye.

They couldn't speak going back. But Kurama could tell by her soul that she had her heart set on something. She wanted a second chance. She wanted to change the world.

Kurama smiled. Humans always were so ambitious. Kurama decided to would join her and help her.

And then they crashed into the present. Past… And Kurama was In Sakura Haruno's Infant form.

XXFlashback overXX

A few months or so later. It wasn't like she was able to keep track of time. It was like being sealed. All she did was sleep. Eat and Poop. She liked pooping. Just for the look on her "Parents" Faces. The kyuubi attack had come and gone.

"If only I was in my body I probably would have been able to make sure Kushina or Minato was still alive." That was regret at being powerless. No amount of Pooping was going to make Kurma feel better about that. He had long gotten over the fact that he did it. But knowing the fact that she could have changed Naruto's life for the better. That she actually had a chance to Improve the life of her first true friend in life. But fucked it up by somehow ending up in this useless baby body.

That just sucked.

Depression was quick to give way to determination. As Sakura's Chakra coils came in early.

Life for the Haruno's was Chaotic. They brought Inoichi over to examine their daughter when she began using Chakra to crawl. On the walls. Said Yamaka was amused as he looked at the innocently smiling sakura. The one year old more or less had her parents Terrified. He sighed looking at the formerly retired hokage.

Hiruzen sighed and motioned for him to continue. Inoichi had never tried to mindwalk with a baby. He wasn't entirely certain what to expect. It might not even be possible. However. The last thing he was expecting. Was to get rebounded off the mind so forcefully it sent his body flying into the wall. Knocking him out.

Sakura. Kurama. Giggled and laughed clapping her hands. Kurama was beginning to enjoy being a baby. Making people look stupid was becoming so easy.

Learning to walk proved challenging. But she learned it quickly enough. And then Kurama learned to run. On two legs. She saw why Humans did this now. It was great. She loved running. She loved her legs dearly. They were awesome! And with her hands! She could do stuff with her hands while running! Who ever made humans was a genius!

Kizashi. Had learned to Ignore the random thuds around the house once Sakura had learned how to run. The first couple times he'd run to check on her to see his daughter laugh stand up and start running again. That girl never cried.

Kurama was a genius at Chakra. Largely because she use to be chakra. That and Sakura's body had perfect chakra control. So while he knew what he could do with chakra he was more than surprised that he was able to do it with so little chakra. It was awesome.

However that was roughly all Kurama was good at. She didn't have any knowledge of history despite having lived for ever. She could count to nine. It was the number of tails she once had after all. But She couldn't for the life of her write. And Jutsu was completely lost on her.

Why on earth would you go through all those hand seals when you can just make the chakra do the thing? She often thought.

Hizashi and Mebuki were scared of their beautiful baby girl. Largely because Kurama had no idea how to be a human child. Or even human for that matter. They thought their Daughter was possessed by a demon. Which wasn't wrong.

XXXX

Five. That was how old Kurama was when she finally found Naruto. He was swinging alone on the swing set. The other kids giving him a wide breadth. Kurama wanted to pound each and everyone of them senseless. And she could. She made sure that her body was strong. Especially those glorious legs of hers. Running was fun.

"Hi!" Kurama beamed at Naruto. The sad looking blond boy gave her a look that broke Kurama's heart. She hated the fact that she had one of those now. Naruto attempted to move away clumsily stepping off the swing.

"Oh, did you want to swing?" He half mumbled, meeting her eyes for just a brief second. This was before he decided to be annoying. This was before he wanted attention. This was when he was just a shy five year old little boy.

"Yes." Kurama said happily. "But I want to swing with you." Kurama said happily. Being pleasant wasn't all that bad when she got someone to smile like that.

"You're not afraid of me?" Naruto asked in amazement.

"Are you afraid of me?" Kurama shot him her best feral smile.

"N-No." Naruto almost said yes. This girl almost did scare him.

"Good! Now let me push you!" And so they played. "What's your name?" Kurama asked happily.

"Naruto!" The blond said laughing as Kurama pushed him. "What's yours?"

"I'll tell you my real super secret ninja name." That got Naruto's attention. "You can't tell anybody else got it?" Naruto nodded happily bobbing his head up and down quickly. "It's Kurama. But everybody else calls me Sakura."

"Got it Kurama-chan." Naruto whispered happily. "Do you want to be friends?" The smile was so pure so innocent. Kurama felt herself blush. Her the century old Kyuubi was fucking blushing. That was just plain fucking wrong.

"Fuck yeah." Kurama blurted out smiling brightly. Everything went well. They both made their first friends. Well Kurama re-met her first friend. And Naruto got a different first friend. One that wasn't a ramen stand.

Until her parents came to get her.

"Sakura!" Mebuki yelled grabbing her daughter's hand. "You stay away from him."

Oh bad move.

Mebuki tried to pull her daughter away but found her tiny five year old daughter an immovable object. "Sakura?"

"Why?" Kurama asked glaring at her mother. She had truly started to consider them as such. It was odd having people care for her so. But that did not mean that they were above her wrath.

"Because he's a troublemaker." Mebuki mumbled. She couldn't quite meet her daughter's gaze.

"He's my friend. Now say sorry and invite him to dinner." Kurama wear the pants in the family.

"But he's a demon." Mebuki said practically whining, like a five year old. Naruto tried to sneak away.

"Naruto stay." It was a command. He obeyed.

"Yes Kurama-chan." Naruto said using her super secret ninja name that he wasn't suppose to tell people. Kurama for her part resisted the urge to smack him. Gently!... mostly.

"Inoichi-san thinks I'm a demon." He technically wasn't wrong. "And so do you. Now be nice to Naruto-kun or else I'll show you how much of a demon I can be." Kurama's look was one that could defeat an army. Mebuki withered.

"Naruto-kun, would you like to join us for dinner?" Mebuki said slowly through her teeth hoping Naruto wouldn't say.

"Say yes Naruto." Kurama was bossy. She was use to getting her way by this point. And not being sealed, she was dead set on getting what she wanted with her freedom.

"Yes Naruto." Naruto said dumbly.

From that day on Naruto would dine with the Haruno's once a week. It stopped being awkward by the second week. From that day few were safe from pranks.

"It's no Kushina. But they'll do." Kurama thought happily watching Naruto eat some food. The centuries old demon was having the time of her life.

XXXX

Naruto Uzumaki woke up early. It was the day of the genin test. And while he could do all the Jutsus needed he was still not looking forward to being tested. He was bad at tests. So was Kurama. But that was because the girl wrote. "I punch them." Or "I don't know, kick them?" For almost any question. His best friend and crush was worse at academics than he was. He blushed thinking about her. He knew that if he ever told the girl how he felt he'd end up castrated. Or worse.

"At Least I won't have to worry about somebody else dating her." Naruto chucked to himself as he walked towards the bathroom. The last time somebody asked her out was Kiba two weeks ago. He was also the first.

XXFlashbackXX

"Say Sakura-chan." Kiba began slowly. Almost flinching when her emerald eyes darted over towards him.

"Yes Kiba?" Kurama said with a small smile. She had some respect for the Pack runner. He was a fellow troublemaker at heart. Though that mother of his was one the few things to keep him in check.

"How about we ditch Naruto and go wild on a date?" Kurama twitched. Naruto who was sitting next to her sending warning signals towards Kiba attempted desperately to inch away. Kurama was explosive. And punchy. Very punchy.

"Naruto-kun go get me a lot of rope." Nothing ever good came from a voice filled with that much sweetness. Nor did anything good from when she added that to the end of his name.

The day ended with Kiba being left bruised and battered hanging upside down by his toes and thumbs.

XXFlashback EndXX

Naruto examined himself in his mirror. Something seemed off.

Blond hair. Check.

Blue eyes. Check.

Tan. Check.

Mouth full of smile bones. Check.

Whiskers. Check.

Weird green diamond smack dab in his forhead. Check.

Wait weird green diamond. That was so not there before. Taking his thumb he tried to rub it off. That failed. Using a rag. Failed. Soap, water, and fifteen minutes of scrubbing just left his forehead raw. It was like a giant painless zit.

"Oh hey I can totally wear my goggles to cover it up." Naruto said happily as he bounced to his room. Once he was fully dressed in the orange suit he always wore and with the goggles he sometimes wore. Naruto was ready for a day full of adventure. In the form of tests.

"Alright. Let's go get Kurama-chan!"

XXXX

The Haruno household was up earlier that morning. Largely because of their lovely.

"Where the fuck is this blood coming from?"

Albeit vulgar daughter.

"Blood?" Kizashi asked sitting up in bed. They had long ago grown accustomed to their daughters unique outbursts. "It's my turn. I'll go see what it is." They had long ago set up a turn system for dealing with their daughter. Kizashi moved to get out of bed. Mebuki's firm hand stopped him.

"I think this is a woman's issue." Mebuki half mumbled as she pulled herself out of bed.

"Huh." Kizashi asked frowning. Then it hit him. "ohh... " There was only one appropriate thought at the time. Only one possible reaction to the day that he had been dreading had come to pass. His vulgar idiotic daughter was now becoming a women.

"Fuck." Was all Kizashi could say as His wife walked out of their bedroom.

"Sakura…. Honey?" Mebuki entering the bathroom. She first saw her daughter's beautiful cascading locks of formally pink hair. It was more coral color and growing closer to flames with each day.

"Mom!" Kurama blurted out her face half frantic confusion, half frantic worry. "Are you and dad okay! There might be an assassin I woke up bleeding." She was naked, bloodied paper towels littered the bathroom floor around the trash can. "Or I'm sick." She added flatly.

Mebuki knew it wasn't a good idea to laugh at her daughter. But she couldn't help it.

"What's so funny?" Kurama shot at her glaring evilly.

"Congratulations on your first period." Mebuki said smiling. This brought a pregnant silence between mother and secretly possessed since pretty much birth.

"My first what now?" Kurama, centuries old demonic spirit asked legitimately confused. Humans were confusing. Being an entity of pure Chakra made things so much easier to understand.

"Didn't you pay attention in sex edd." Mebuki sighed at her daughter. Kurama just blinked at her waiting for the women to answer the question herself. "You think you would pay attention to your own body."

"I do! I can name all my muscles, And I know how to punch and kick real good." Kurama beamed then it hit her. The Human upgrade thingy. "Oh this the Puberty thing?" Kurama asked smiling at Mebuki.

"Yes Sakura it's the puberty thing."

"So when does it stop, the bleeding that is." Kurama asked curiously. Mebuki sighed. How on earth did she give birth to such an idiot.

"This is going to take a while." Mebuki said rubbing her still sleepy face. This was why they didn't have a second child.

XXXX

Just as Naruto was about to knock on the door. A shout of pure terror erupted from the house in front of him.

"I'm going to bleed like this every fucking month?!" Nearby bird flew from their trees.

Naruto knocked twice. And Kizashi was at the door in a heartbeat.

"Ahh Naruto right on time." Kizashi said letting Naruto enter.

"Kurama-chan's bleeding?" Naruto inquired. Slightly concerned for his friend.

"Puberty." Kizashi said flatly. Naruto looked contemplative for a moment.

"Ahh the period thing right?" Kizashi briefly wondered how the village idiot, the class clown. Was smarter than his daughter.

"Yep." The two sat awkwardly in the den waiting for Kurama and Mebuki to finish up. "So why do you still call her 'Kurama'? She yelled and threatened my balls when I called her that once." Kizashi didn't find it odd in the slightest that his daughter knew how to threaten a mans privates yet had no knowledge of her own inner workings. It was just something he's gotten used to his confounding daughter.

"I called her Sakura once but she punched me and said 'You're the only one allowed to call me Kurama, And that's the only name you're going to call me' so mostly out of self-preservation." Naruto chuckled rubbing the back of his head nervously.

"My daughter sure is a handful that's for sure." Kizashi said calmly as he began joining in on Naruto's chuckling. "Thanks for putting up with her so much. Not many people can."

"Ahh it's no big deal she's my friend after all." Naruto replied sheepishly, a small blush on his face. "Geeze it's like he's trying pawn Kurama-chan off on me."

Jumping from the second step and stomping both feet on the ground to make the rudest entrance said friend entered the room. Her messy, wild pink-orange hair stretched nearly all the way down her back. She wore a sleeveless kimono-style blouse that was yellow in colour and held closed with a green obi over a short-sleeved mesh shirt with a pair of dark blue shorts and brown shinobi sandals.

"Sup Shorty?" She proclaimed loudly putting her hands on her hips leaning slightly forward as she stuck her tongue out at Naruto. Kurama had called Naruto shorty a few times in their previous life. But he'd just retort that Kurama was just an oversized giant fox. And none of those few times were as satisfying as calling Naruto short now. Just being one or two inches taller than him made the teasing so much more satisfying than being several times his height.

"S-Shut up!" Naruto half mumbled as he stood up to greet his slightly. And it was a very annoying slight. Taller friend. He had a hard time looking at those dancing green eyes of hers. Adjusting his goggles as an excuse to not meet her eyes he turned towards the door. "Ready for the Gennin exams?"

"Hell yea!" Kurama yelled pumping her fists excitedly. "Oh remind me I need to threaten the old-man to make sure we get on the same team." Kurama said as an after thought as she allowed Naruto to open the door for her.

"I don't think threatening the hokage is a good idea!" Mebuki said joining her husband in the den. Their daughter's response was a simple wave good bye.

"Did you know that we're going to bleed every month because of puberty?" Kurama said as the door closed.

"I don't think she's going to last very long as a ninja." Mebuki said exasperated.

"Why not she can already beat me in a fight… Hurts to." Kizashi said rubbing his still bruised chin from a friendly father daughter sparring match.

"Yes but you've been a genin for how long." Mebuki retorted.

"Hey I made chuunin-"

"What do you mean you don't have to bleed every month! You don't get cramps either? What do you get?!" Kizashi was interrupted by the shouts of their daughter as she just found out that females have a much harder time with puberty than males.

"Oh no you get random erections! I FUCKING BLEED."

"I worry about us getting grand kids." Kizashi said laughing.

"We'll get a puppy it'll be smarter than anything those two produce." Mebuki said flatly as she walked into the kitchen her face growing flushed. They may have grown use to their daughter. But nobody was truly immune. "If they ever figure out that they're in love… Or how to have sex for that matter."

Kizashi blushed at his wife's bluntess. "I see where Sakura gets it from finally… That or she rubbing off on us." He eyed where is was standing seconds ago. "Speaking of rubbing." He said to no one as he entered the kitchen.

XXXX

"Alright Naruto, You've done pretty good in most aspects all you need to do is perform the three basic jutsu of the academy. Substitute, Clone, and transformation. Jutsu. I expect you'll do fine like always so just breath easily." Iruka said smiling at Naruto.

"Don't worry Iruka sensei." Naruto said cracking his knuckles. "I got this." He began to form his chakra. "Clone jutsu." dead clone.

"Uh wait. What?" Naruto muttered. Something felt wrong. "Let me try again." Naruto pleaded.

"Sure we can allow you one redo. Just deep breaths naruto. You've done this before." Iruka said calmly.

"Iruka-sensei we can't allow him the redo-" Mizuki was beginning before Naruto interrupted him.

"Clone jutsu!" Dead clone.

"Clone!" Dead clone.

"Clone clone clone clone clone!" Dead clone clone clone clone clone. The room was filled with a bunch of dopey looking naruto clones that couldn't hold their own weight.

"Enough Naruto!" Iruka yelled slamming his hands on the desk. "I'm sorry but if you can't do the clone jutsu right now I can't pass you." Iruka said calmly. Naruto felt his world crumbling to pieces. And he couldn't shake the feeling that this was somehow related to the diamond on his forehead.

"He's done it before Iruka-sensei. Can't we just use his previous results?" Mizuki said bringing up Naruto's hopes. Only for them to be instantly crushed by iruka.

"Consistency is important for a ninja Mizuki-sensei. If Naruto can't do the clone jutsu now he might not be able to when he really needs to." Iruka sighed. Giving Naruto a look of pity. "I'm Sorry Naruto but as of right now you have failed to become a genin."

Naruto clenched his fist and lowered his head before leaving. Fresh tears streaming from his eyes.

He went outside to see Kurama swinging under a tree in the yard as well. She wasn't wearing a headband either. Her pink to orange ombre hair floating easily in the gentle motion of the swing. Oddly enough she didn't seem to sad about it.

"You failed to huh?" Kurama beamed at him launching into a large bright smile.

"Yea, How'd you fail?" Naruto asked walking up to her.

"Never learned the jutsu they seemed pointless. Even if they're used against me I can still beat the tar out of people." Kurama had a great joy of fighting. Good fights, bad fights, fair fights. Kurama loved all fights but a one-sided fight. She craved that sense of tempo of a fight. But as good of a fighter as she was. The centuries old mind of the demon fox refused to use what humans called jutsu. She was no mere ninja. But she was a warrior. "How'd you fuck it up?"

"I couldn't make clones today. My catchra was all over the place." Naruto said glumly lacking Kurama's optimism about failing. "How am I going to be a ninja now?" Naruto sighed bumping his head against the hardwood of the tree.

"It's called Chakra you dumbass." Kurama said smiling. She would know she use to be made of the stuff. "And besides." Kurama said jabbing Naruto in the side. "The first ninja weren't ninja to start with, whose to say we won't be the first of something else" She stuck her tongue out at him. That optimism was contagious.

"Yea." Naruto found himself smiling despite. "Everything will be alright as long as we stick together." he completely believed that.

"Don't get fucking sappy on me you pansy." Kurama never failed to ground Naruto.

"You know there's a secret test right?" Mizuki said appearing next to his two former students. "I don't know if I should even be telling you this." Mizuki smiled as the two failures looked at him with pleading and curious eyes. It was so easy to manipulate them.

"Sounds like fun." Kurama grinned after hearing Mizuki's challenge.

"I have an idea." Naruto said as the two walked off to do the secret test.

XXXX

The two pubescent teens were giddy with excitement as they all but crashed into the clearing mizuki had told them about.

"I can't believe that worked!" Naruto said breathlessly.

"Ha it only worked because the old man was a pervert! I'm Just glad your stupid transformation jutsu still worked." Kurama said slugging naruto in the shoulder. "Now crack that baby open. Let's see what's inside."

"I thought you didn't like jutsu" Naruto stuck his tongue out at the girl as he positioned the scroll so that it would be slightly more difficult for her to read. He plopped down onto the grass with a solid thump.

"I don't, but that doesn't mean I'm not curious." Kurama walked around him and placing hands on his head then resting her chin on her head. "So that's in here… ohh and that." She thought to herself. She only knew two of the jutsu. One of which was used to seal her in Naruto in that previous life of hers. "Which one you going to do?"

"The Shadow Clone Jutsu. I want to show Sensei that I can actually do it." Naruto said happily. It also helped it was the first jutsu he saw.

"It was the first one you saw huh?" Kurama asked smiling as she lightly tapped her fingers on his head.

"Shut up." Naruto said quickly standing up to practice the technique. "Which one are you going to do?"

"Secret." Kurama smiled. "But let's make sure you do yours first. You need to become a ninja to be hokage after all." Naruto blushed as she punched his arm.

"R-right." He mumbled with vigor.

Thirty minutes passed and Kizashi Haruno came bursting through the forest canopy. When he saw the teens smiling at him he smiled back. Then he saw the scroll and took on a more grim expression.

"I was really hoping that I was racing off to prove that you two didn't steal the scroll." Kizashi let out a long sigh. "I mean really what were you two thinking?"

"Huh? We were doing the secret genin test" Naruto said simply. Kizashi blinked at the boy.

"Are you stupid?" The question was flat and carried with it the answer in it's tone.

"Yep!" Kurama replied before Naruto could say anything. "But really what's wrong Mizuki said that if we stole the scroll and learned a jutsu from it we'd be a genin no problem!" She broke out into a large grin, one that slowly spread onto Naruto's face.

"Yea I barely got it down before you showed up Kizashi-san! You're pretty quick." Kizashi scratched his cheek at the blondes appraise. Not wanting to show that he was winded from just running here. Getting old sucked. Something was wrong.

"Move!" Kizashi yelled shoving Naruto out of the way as he shielded his daughter from the flurry of kunai with his body. "You okay?" he asked through gritted teeth looking down at his daughter.

Kurama was silent. She looked nowhere and everywhere at that moment. Peering into Kizashi's eyes. Seeing his blood coming through his clothing. Naruto stumbling back up. Mizuki standing in the trees. She started shaking.

"Naruto take Sakura and run! I'll take care of him." Kizashi yelled pulling out a kunai from his back using it to arm himself.

"Don't listen to him Naruto! They've been lying to you." Mizuki said smiling. "Did they ever tell you? That the Hokage told them to be nice to you? To let you join them for dinner? Oh yes he bribed them, that's why Kizashi doesn't have to go on missions very often!" Mizuki said smiling.

"What?" Naruto mumbled holding on the scroll as he looked back and forth between Mizuki and Kizashi. Kurama had remained silent but she was still shaking.

"Don't listen to him Naruto!" Kizashi yelled still not able to fully move.

"That's not the only lie they've told you. The whole village has been lying to you! You have the Kyuubi sealed inside of you. That's why people ignore you. Hate you and treat you like only reason the Haruno's like you is because of that fat check the Hokage gives them for taking care of you every so often."

"No no no!" Naruto said crying. He looked at Kizashi who said nothing and the still silent Kurama.

"Here I'll just make this easy for you. I'll take your life so you won't have to suffer anymore!" With a mighty hurl Mizuki threw a large shuriken at Naruto.

Naruto flinched preparing for the blow. He heard an Urk. and felt no pain. Opening his eyes he saw Kizashi smiling down at him.

"While it's true we accepted some money from the hokage. That's not the reason why we did we refused it after a year." Kizashi grunted feeling the blood pour from the wound. "We've grown to care for you Naruto. And you are surprisingly good for Sakura." Kizashi said smiling.

"Why are you defending that."

"Shut the fuck up" Kurama ordered. The world listened. "He." She pointed towards Kizashi. "Was willing to risk his life to protect me." a pregnant silence filled the air. "And you fucking hurt him!" With a shout and a roar Kurama's chakra flared. Burning with white hot anger. More than she ever felt as the Kyuubi. "And if you think that dumbass is a demon. Then you I'll show you what a real demon is."

Mizuki could barely dodge as thirteen year old girl launched herself at him. She flew through the air slamming her fist into the tree causing wood to splinter. Kicking off the tree in her pursuit she broke the branch.

"What is this girl?" Mizuki thought frantically as he attempted to block her punch to the gut. "She was always good at taijutsu but this is insane!" The force of the punch sent him crashing into the shed.

"Still think He's the one you should be afraid of? You hurt somebody important to me." She was relishing in this as she stomped over to him. Thirteen years of being a human. And eighty years of being nice had done nothing to quell the fury she could bring.

Mizuki struggled to get up. She grabbed his arm. They heard the pop. Shoulder dislocated. They heard him scream. Arm broken. They watched as She gripped his hand tightly and both hands and began rubbing it. Grinding the bones inside to nothing but dust. Whenever Mizuki tried to speak or run away she just pounded a fist into his skull.

"Kurama-chan is kinda scary." Naruto said finally standing. Kizashi nodded dumbly.

"You're the one stuck with her for life Naruto." Kizashi thought as he prayed for the blondes young soul. To be cursed with such a frightening life partner at such a young age was truly a terrible thing. "You will never know freedom." He turned to see his monstrous daughter placing a foot on Mizuki's back as she gripped his arm she looked ready to pull.

"Sakura stop he's done!" Kizashi shouted stumbling over to his daughter. "I'm okay. Naruto's fine to. You don't need to go that far." She examined the completely useless arm Mizuki now had. He'd never be able to perform ninjutsu again with that hand.

"But I wanted to rip out his arm and beat him to death with it." Kurama's fury turned into the whining of a thirteen year old girl being told she can't go out in that outfit. "Stupid bastard getting me all worked up." Sakura mumbled dropping the arm as she walked away.

"We should get you two to the hokage and me to the doctor." Kizashi smiled. He stumbled. Sakura was there to catch him. "And I won't tell your mother you and Naruto stole the scroll if you don't tell her where I got these injuries."

"I'd rather you not tell her I'm helping you walk." Sakura mumbled as Naruto joined her in assisting Kizashi. Her Father gave a hearty laugh. Only for him to breath sharply. "Can someone remove the thing sticking out of my back?"

"Ahh Kizashi-san you found them!" Iruka yelled landing down in front of the trio. "What happened?"

"Mizuki lied to them to get them to steal the scroll he then attacked up. Sakura then broke his arm." Kizashi said with a hint of pride. Iruka raised an eyebrow at that. "You should take Mizuki to the anbu. But first why didn't you tell them they could test for Taijutsu specialist?"

"I told Sakura about it but Naruto was already out the door." Iruka said blinking. "I know that's how we tested Sakura and after review she passed."

"Why didn't you tell me we could just do a taijutsu test!" Naruto shouted at Kurama… through Kizashi's head.

"I forgot." Kurama said unashamed. Bonk. Kizashi hand thwacked the back of his daughter's head ever so gently.

"And you call Naruto stupid." Kizashi mumbled with exhaustion. Kurama only grumbled something neither could make out.

XXXX

After dropping off Kizashi at the hospital Iruka escorted his two students to the hokage's office. And after a brief lecture about not stealing scrolls. He congratulated the two by presenting them with their Headbands. Naruto for learning the shadow clone jutsu and Sakura for passing the Taijutsu specialist exam.

And for beating Mizuki within an inch of his life.

Hiruzen frowned for a moment as he looked over the two fresh genin. "We'll have to watch them closely. Sakura's temper seems to flair when Naruto or her family gets hurt. It probably wouldn't be a good idea to keep put them on a team." The old hokage mused his eyes not leaving the two genin.

"Unless there is anything else you two are free to go. You'll be assigned your teams tomorrow." Hiruzen waved the two off. Naruto looked like he was about to say something but was struggling with it.

"Umm about the fox." Naruto began slowly looking at the ground in front of the hokage's desk. His eyes seemed glazed over. In a rare display of affection Kurama placed her hand on his back. A sort of reassuring quarter hug. Naruto smiled at her. "Why me?" He finally managed to ask.

"You're an Uzumaki, Naruto. The previous containers of the kyuubi were also Uzumaki." Naruto's eyes widened. Kurama's did as well she wasn't expecting the old man to give out that much information. "The fourth Hokage choose you because only an Uzumaki can hold the nine-tailed fox. But I believe there was more to it than that. I believe that he choose you, because he believed in you, Naruto. As do I." The old man was smiling warmly at Naruto.

"Old-man…." Naruto said fighting back tears.

"He's not the only one Naruto. You'll become hokage someday, I know it!" Kurama slugged Naruto in the shoulder. Her usual sign of affection.

"Kurama-chan." Naruto let the tears flow. "Thanks ya know!" The hokage and Kurama chuckled at that.

After a minute to allow Naruto to get his composure back they were about to leave for their homes.

"Hey Naruto let me talk to the old fart alone real quick." Kurama said all but shoving him out hte door.

"What huh? Okay." Naruto said as the door shut on him. "I'll just wait here." he yelled through the door. "Kurama-chan is weird."

"Oh what is it Sakura?" Hiruzen asked as the obnoxiously colored hair girl marched up to his desk before placing a firm hand on it.

"Put me and Naruto on the same team." Kurama said flatly.

"We make teams based off of the test results and" Hiruzen had expected this request and had prepared the usual speech. Half of it was bullshit.

"Blah blah blah." Kurama interrupted him. Hiruzen felt his eye twitch. What was with this generation of ninja not having respect for him. "You put me and him on a team or I tell him who his parents are?" Years of ninja training prevented him from showing even the slightest bit of surprise.

"You found out who Naruto's parents are?" Hiruzen asked raising an eyebrow. He watched as Kurama nodded her head once. "Excellent!" The old hokage said smiling. "I'd like to know who they are as well I'm sure I can arrange a meeting or his inheritance." The girl was bluffing and he was going to call it. "This girl may look and act like Kushina but she is far more cunning." He thought recalling the past.

"A meeting is impossible." Kurama said glumly. Hiruzen frowned. "They're the fourth hokage and the previous container, in case you really didn't know." There it was. He called the bluff and she wasn't bluffing. He was a ninja and a politician. Deceit was his trade at this point.

"Hmm." Hiruzen began slowly as though he was contemplating the idea. "I'll give it to you that Naruto does look a bit like Minato, however he and Kushina, the previous holder of the fox didn't have that relationship. So I'm afraid your theory is false Sakura-san. Now it's late and I am an old tired fart that needs his sleep."

Kurama resisted the urge to call the man a liar, instead she just turned around and left.

"What were you talking to him about?" Naruto asked her worriedly. Hoping it wasn't anything to do with the fox.

"Oh I was just trying to make sure we ended up on a team is all."

XXXX

"Sakura wake up you're going to be late!" Mebuki shouted pounding on her daughter's door. A muffled groan was the only reply.

"Yea come on Kurama-chan!" That was Naruto. His voice carried through walls like it did air.

"Shut up I'm tired! Let's just skip class again today!" Kurama shouted burying her head into the soft pillow. She loved beds. Beds were something she didn't get to experience as a biju. But now, she got to sleep in one every night. And she loved it. They were just so warm and fluffy.

"We're suppose meet our team today!" Naruto shouted once again. "We're ninja now we can't be late on our first day." There was a commotion from the other side of the door. Lots of curses and falling and what might be flailing.

"What did she mean by skip class _again_?" Mebuki questioned the scowl on her face told Naruto that he might be in trouble.

"Uhh." Naruto was spared the wrath of Mebuki as the door to Kurama's room slammed open. Her hand attempting to quell the rage of her hair she bounded out.

"Fine let's get this shit show on the road." Kurama strained as her fingers found a knot.

"Yep let's go now!" Naruto said quickly grabbing Kurama's free hand and pulling her along.

"We're talking about the skipping later!" Mebuki yelled after them. Their reply was a slammed door. "I hope those two manage to survive." She thought frowning. "Well somehow my idiot husband manages to survive as well. So those two should be fine."

XXXX

At the hokage tower. Kakashi was rather curious about his assigned team.

"You're giving me three ninja who excel in Taijutsu?" He asked the Third hokage. "And they were all in the top ten of the graduates this year. I understand Naruto and the girl are close friends but why Sasuke he doesn't like either of them." He watched as the hokage knitted his fingers. An ancient frown appeared on the old man's face.

"Sasuke views them both as rivals. They'll be able to force each other to grow much faster than any of the other teams." Hiruzen explained his reasoning.

"Or tear the team apart." Kakashi retorted.

"I also made a team that should be able to pass your test Kakashi given how you failed three teams before this one. Unless you were just waiting for a chance to train _him_ " Kakashi remained emotionless. "Additionally should Naruto and Sasuke become friends he may be able to help him control the kyuubi given the Sharingan's abilities."

"Or use it to seek revenge on His brother." The hokage just nodded at that comment.

"It is certainly a possibility." Hiruzen's frown deepend. "Also keep an eye on Sakura, she knows Naruto's burden and his heritage. Who know's what else she might know."

"How did she find out?" Kakashi asked shock evident in both his voice and face.

"Mizuki, from last night. How she found out about Minato and Kushina however I have no idea. She hasn't told Naruto yet though for some reason." The hokage let out a small grateful sigh. "For whatever reason she seems content not telling Naruto about it, she only used it as leverage to get placed on the same team as him."

"I see." Kakashi said simply. His hand reaching for the file on Sakura Haruno. "I'll be sure to keep an eye on her then."

XXXX

Kakashi approached the door to the classroom ever so slowly. He was late he knew. He was a firm believer in being casually late to just about everything he could. Not that it was always intentional. Sometimes he'd spend just a bit too much time here and there and then suddenly he was late.

He saw the slightly cracked door. A small baggy of something or other placed at the top so that when somebody walked through it would likely fall on their head. "I don't want to find out what's in that. At a casually quick jonin speed he opened the door and gently tossed the baggy towards one of his genin sitting in the room. That target he choose was Sakura.

"Heads up!" Kakashi shouted happily. The Baggy would explode on Sakura covering her in whatever it was. To his amusement Sakura was more than ready for the bag to suddenly come flying at her.

"Spike!" Kurama yelled as the bag sailed towards her. With an over handed slap she hit the bag mid air changing it's direction quickly and causing it to rupture. Exploding it's contents all over Sasuke.

Sasuke for his part just blinked as the off white powder covered him. "What was in that?" He questioned. Voice clearly laid with annoyance. When he first heard that Sakura and Naruto would be his teammates he was honestly feeling what could be called happy. They were strong fighters. Almost. Almost. As good as he was in Taijutsu. But they did lack skills in Ninjutsu and leadership qualities. Two dumb thugs that would be able to follow his orders was a wonderful idea to the young Uchiha.

"Itching powder." Naruto said happily. "Might want to go wash it off quick."

"I hate you all." Sasuke muttered as he turned to leave the room.

"When you're done meet us on the roof." Kakashi said resisting the urge to chuckle at the scenario. "Well you are all certainly amusing."

XXXX

"So let's get this started with some introductions." Kakashi said as Sasuke joined them on the roof. His hair looking rather damp. It still managed to hold some of it's form.

"What do you mean sensei?" Naruto asked curious. "Besides we all know each other."

"Yes but I don't. I guess I'll lead by example though." Kakashi said readjusting his lean on the railing. "My name is Kakashi Hatake. I like a lot of things and I dislike some things as well. My dream for the future… Well I don't really have a dream for the future."

"All we learned was your name" All three genin thought. Well two did. The ancient Biju spirit was wondering why she felt funny all of a sudden.

"Alright you girly." Kakashi said pointing at Kurama.

"Huh what? Oh. I'm Sakura Haruno." Kurama said with practiced ease. "My likes are fighting things, Naruto, my parents, and Konoha." She said truthfully. Blinking a bit she continued. "My dislikes are, Kekkai genkai, One-sided fights, and being controlled." She shot a dart a sasuke who ignored her. "My dream for the future." Kurama had thought about this one in great deal. What did she want to do with this human body. With the freedom it represented. "My dream for the future is have the freedom to explore the world."

"You want freedom but you decided to become a shinobi?" Kakashi asked raising his eyebrow.

"Yea don't get me wrong though. Konoha is my home and I." She trailed off feeling light headed. And then she fell forward passing out. Naruto was there in a second.

"Dammit did you forget to eat again?" Naruto chided as he reached in her bag for a protein bar. Emergency rations. Because this isn't the first time it's happened.

After a brief moment of Chaos Kurama came back to.

"How do you forget to eat?" Kakashi asked honestly amused.

"It's hard okay!" Kurama yelled. Thirteen years in this body and she still wasn't used to feeding it. Being made of Chakra had it's benefits. "I don't understand how you all remember it!" Kurama whined. She was getting good at whining. It seemed Natural for her body to whine. She took a few healthy bites of the Protein bar.

"Feeling better?" Kakashi asked. Kurama nodded completely unembarrassed by having just passed out. "Right, blondie you're up."

"Right. I'm Naruto Uzumaki!" The Kyuubi container shouted loudly. "I like Kurama-chan, And Mebuki-san and Kizashi-san. I like Ramen to, and old man tenchi and the hokage! I dislike the three minutes it takes for ramen to cool and being ignored. And my dream for the future Is to be the greatest Hokage ever and have the whole village respect me!"

"You can do it Naruto!" Kurama said next to him slugging him in the shoulder.

"Hokage huh? High reaching dream." Kakashi commented before pointing to sasuke. "Moist boy your turn." Sasuke glared at Naruto and Sakura again. He hadn't scratched anything but he was very good at resisting the urge.

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I don't Particularly like anything. And I dislike these two idiots I'm stuck with. Despite how good they are at fighting." Naruto frowned and Kurama seemed happy as she munched on her protein bar. "And my dream… No my goal because it will happen is to kill a certain person and restore my clan." Sasuke finished and the room grew chiller.

"Well then." Kakashi said breaking the tension. "Tomorrow we're going to gather for some survival training. Meet me at Training Ground Three at nine in the morning, Don't be late." He waited for some kind of interruption. But none came. "Oh and don't eat breakfast or you'll puke." He left without another word.

XXXX

The next day Kakashi arrived late. He didn't really mean it. It just kind of happened. Honestly. It does take quite a bit of time to go through all of one's regrets in life when you're twenty six.

He examined his genin team impassively as he approached. Sasuke was looking rather annoyed as he stood quite the distance away from Naruto or Sakura. Naruto was doing his best to not look like he was about to explode of boredom as he was rocking back and forth on his feet. Sakura was the strangest as she was simply eating one of the protein bars he had seen her eat yesterday. "I wonder if Sakura is dressing like Kushina to show that Naruto is Minato's son. I wonder how she knows." The truth was far simpler than that. Kurama had zero fashion sense and wasn't going to be wearing a Kimono or an orange jumpsuit.

"You're late!" All but Sasuke shouted at him as he entered the clearing.

"You're eating" Kakashi retorted pointing a relaxed finger at Sakura.

"Eat don't eat. Can you guys make up your fucking mind?" Kurama shouted flailing her arms. "You know what, fuck it! Naruto, you're in charge of my eating stuff. Make sure I don't die."

"Oi what makes you think I want that kind of responsibility?" Naruto shot back looking at her like she just had the worst possible idea ever. He maintained his glare as Kurama looked like she was about to hit him in the not so gentle way.

"Alright, alright." Kakashi interrupted before anything serious could happen. "You have one hour." He said taking out a small alarm clock. "To steal these bells from me." Kakashi dangled the balls shaking them a bit to make sure they knew there was only two. "If you fail to have a bell by the end of the hour, you will be tied to a post and forced to skip lunch." A pause. Dramatic effect. "You will also be failed and sent back to the academy."

The genin nodded staring at their jonin sensei waiting for the moment he said go.

"Aren't you going to ask why there's only two bells?" Kakashi blinked.

"Nah." Naruto said simply.

"It's obvious why." Sasuke followed through.

"Can I start punching you now?" Kurama asked cheerfully.

Kakashi blinked. Once. Twice. Three times.

"Begin!" He expected them to try and hide. He expected them to show some caution. He expected a great many things. In-fighting, Chaos, bickering. But he did not expect for them to all come charging at him at once.

The girl being the fastest went for a wide and powerful haymaker punch. He caught her wrist easily. Instinctively she twisted her body kicking up off the ground her free hand shifting towards his leg. No his belt where the bells were. Kakashi would have to throw her. The bell gave a soft jingle as she grazed it. Positioning himself to throw her away he barely had enough time to block the kicks coming towards his head.

"She has no grace, no style. But she has power and brutality." Kakashi thought calmly as he sent Sakura flying out of the clearing. He got no rest as both Sasuke and Naruto engaged him. Naruto on his right Sasuke on his left. Taking advantage of his blind spot most likely.

"Shadow clone jutsu!" Naruto yelled using the spoke it created to hide his movements. Several clones joined in jumping over each other with reckless abbadon. One clone went high two clones went low. A fourth and fifth went for the flank. The clones were easily taken care of with a gentle love tap, from him or sasuke. The Uchiha was there in an instant floating in the calm of Naruto's storm of clones. Diving in a strike at Kakashi as he made attempts for the bells.

Dodging from the attempted would leave the bells open for a Naruto to make an attempt. So he he deflected instead. Quickly sending a knee into Sasuke's gut Kakashi then sent him hurtling into three Naruto's, two vanished as the real one hit the ground tangling with Sasuke.

"Dammit loser, you're in my way." Sasuke shouted removing Naruto from him roughly.

"I didn't ask for your help either bastard!" Naruto shouted back.

"They're not even trying to work together they're just competing to see who can get the bell first." Kakashi thought flattly.

"Gand fire ball Jutsu!" Sasuke shouted aiming at kakashi. The tree behind him took most of the attack. Two Naruto clones vanished as the flame engulfed them.

"My those are some advanced jutsu you two have there." Kakashi said having jumped into the air to avoid the fireball. "How on earth did you two." He was cut off as he had to catch the foot of Sakura her clothing slightly burnt and a few of her hairs were currently burning gently. She had just charged through Sasuke's fireball to get to him. "And you're way to reckless." Kakashi said blocking her second kick. Watching as she twisted her body to get more blows in.

"And you talk too much." Kurama growled. The grin on her face was anything but angery as she enjoyed the pure thrill of the fight. Knowing that she was out matched in terms of everything. Speed, Skill, Strength. It ignited her passion.

Kakashi felt the girls chakra begin to spike. Adding force to her blows and speed to her strikes. "She may not use Jutsu but she has incredible Chakra control." Kakashi thought blocking another twisting kick.

Naruto charged in from above with a dozen clones. All leaping around one another in a haphazard harmony. The clones moved in and out covering Sakura and Naruto as they attacked Kakashi. "And Naruto can fall into place in just about any situation."

Sasuke came in from the side, a barrage of Kunai leading his way through an opening in the clones. Kakashi easily dodged them, hoping that they would ward off Sakura or destroy one of the clones that kept appearing.

Kurama caught the Kunai. In her mouth. "Great now has even more limbs to hit me with." Kakashi thought dryly as he sent a Naruto into Sasuke to act as a meat shield. Sasuke just powered through the clone and kept up his assault.

"Keep this up and I might just work up a sweat!" Kakashi said loudly without any effort. He got a growl from Kurama as she continued her Assault.

He then became aware of the soft jingling sound. As one of the bells came loose. In One of the Naruto's hands. He quickly dispelled the Clone sending the bell flying up into the air. Kakashi made a grab for it. Kurama using the out stretched arm as leverage kicked the bell with the back of her heel before rounding it back into kakashi's shoulder. "That one actually hurt."

"Got it." Sasuke said catching the bell in his hand and then quickly tucking it into a pouch.

Kakashi fully expected Sasuke to stop fighting at that moment. He even half expected him to start fighting Naruto or Sakura in order to insure his victory. "Expected the unexpected." Kakashi thought as Sasuke rejoined the fray.

An hour later kakashi stood calmly as he eyed the three tired teens. Naruto was on the ground breathing heavily. Sasuke was standing a small smirk on his face but he looked no better than Naruto. And Sakura was tied to the post struggling to get free.

"Congratulations Sasuke, you're the only one get a bell so I guess that means you're the only one to pass." Kakashi celebrated by jingling the leftover bell. He saw Sasuke smile. "But why did you keep fighting when you already had the bell?" Kakashi asked pretty curious.

"They're strong. I'm going to need at least one of them to help me get stronger." Sasuke replied cooly. "Besides if I stopped fighting. Kurama would have won." Sasuke added looking at the girl tied to the post.

"Don't call me that you prick!" Kurama shouted her face red with fury. Or exhaustion.

"And why didn't you two go after Sasuke?" Kakashi asked Naruto held up a finger as he caught his breath trying to get his words right.

"We were allies in that ya know?" Naruto said. "I don't think allies should be attacking each other no matter what happens. Who cares if the bastard gets all the glory in credit." Kakashi almost laughed.

"Coming from the one that wants to be hokage, that's pretty insightful." Naruto gave a weak thumbs up. "And you?"

"You still had a bell." Kurama said plainly as though the answer was obvious.

"But Sasuke is weaker than me it'd be easier to take the bell from him than from me." Kakashi watched as Kurama looked at Sasuke before shrugging.

"I don't want easier." And there it was plain as day.

"What if Naruto and Sasuke got the bells would you fight them then?" Kakashi asked coldly.

"Doesn't matter didn't happen." Kurama said smiling. Kurama had long ago gotten rid of What if's and should have's she had had centuries to ponder such things. And now that she was fleshy and free. She wouldn't spare the thought if she could help it.

"Hmm. Well anybody want to tell me the purpose of the test?" Kakashi asked tossing a bento box at Naruto and Sasuke.

"Is this one of the ninja things where there's a hidden meaning under it like, "Brush your teeth everday." Or "If somebody is late once they might be late again" deal?" Kurama asked still struggling against the rope. "The fuck is this shit made of?"

"Correct." Kakashi said happily. "Now can you explain what the hidden meaning is?" The genin stared at him. And stared at him.

Staaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaare

Staaaaaare.

"Jonin's know their shit?" Kurama took a shot in the dark.

"Well yes but." Kakashi sighed rubbing his hand over his mask. "Okay how was Sasuke able to get the bell."

"I kicked it towards him." Kurama replied.

"And how were you able to kick it towards him"

"One of my clones got it off your belt." Naruto said in between munches.

"And you were able to do that because?" Kakashi was basically holding their hands. Previous teams he'd failed by this point.

"Because Kurama-chan and Sasuke had your attention?" Naruto asked blinking at their maybe sensei.

"Correct so you guys were doing what the whole time."

Silence.

More silence.

Lots of silence.

"Working together." Sasuke said simply.

"Ding ding ding, we have a winner." Kakashi said with complete lack of enthusiasm.

"So the point of the test was teamwork?" Kurama asked.

"Yep." Kakashi shot back.

"Because we figured it out do we pass." Naruto asked excitedly. Kakashi thought for a moment. Then shrugged.

"Sure what the hell." He then entered a dramatic pose giving the team a thumbs up. "Congratulations Team 7 you pass!"

"If you guys even think about leaving me tied up I will rip your balls out through your eyes with a bendy straw." Kurama said after some celebration.

XXXX

 **A/N: Thanks for reading the first chapter of my series. This is going to be my primary focus. My other work: Naruto Is Not a Teddy Bear will be the next one to receive an update however. So if you're coming because you liked that story don't worry I'll be updated soonish. Probably a week or two.**

 **Anyways see you next time on Kurama Goes Through Puberty!**


	2. Fuck the wave, Oh hey Chunin exam?

The world felt fuzzy. Kurama blinked. Naruto. He was there. Sasuke. Why the fuck was he there? Oh right. Mission. Kakashi. What happened to kakashi? He was nearby he heard him speak once. Everything felt fuzzy.

"Where?" Kurama strained as the world began to un fuck itself. She opened her eyes wide and immediately closed them shut. It was far too bright.

Keeping her eyes shut she began to recall how exactly she ended up here. And hopefully find out where here was.

Kakashi had given them a C-rank mission. He claimed it was to stop them from beating the tar out of each other when the finished a D-rank. They weren't that bad. Though Sasuke did bring up some concern black eyes and the sharingan. Little twat wasn't that bad yet. What was going to happen to him again?

For the umpteenth time since she was sent back in time Kurama cursed herself for being unable to and largely unwilling to pay attention for much of Naruto's previous life. But she was a demon. And still largely considered herself one.

Demon… That word. Oh. Right. They had fought the Demon brothers. She was excited. She was excited. They were a let down. She crushed one of their skulls against a tree. Were human brains always so pink? When she was the size of a mountain she really couldn't see colors… Well she couldn't see anything but greys and blues. And red. The red of Sharrigan. Just another difference between being the kyuubi and being human.

Why did they fight them again. They were trying to kill someone. Oh the old man. Tazu something or other. He built houses or something. They were suppose to protect him. Oh that's why they fought the demon brothers.

She remembered getting cut. A small cut. So she didn't bother worrying about it. Ahh that's right. Poison. She remembered humans had to deal with the stuff every so often. That and Kakashi told her. After the effective point of no return. That had been when she nearly collapsed on the way to the Tazu something or others home.

And then they ran into. Zabuza demon of the hidden mist. Another demon. She wanted to test herself against him. The killing intent he let off was about as good as a human could ever hope to give off. While he had slaughtered hundreds of people in his life. Kurama had slaughtered more.

But she had collapsed before she could do anything.

"Fucking poison." Kurama mumbled forcing her body to move. Her limbs felt like oranges.

"No take me just don't hurt Inari!" She heard from down stairs.

That voice sounded familiar. But what the hell is an Inari?

Opening her eyes Kurama examined the rather plain room she had been staying in. Her clothing was sticky with sweat. Apparently she had worked most of the poison out of her system. She would find out who Inari and that voice were later. She needed to know she could move before she did anything.

Head. check.

Legs. check.

Fingers. Check.

Tail. Not check. She could hope though.

Blinking she caught a small scribbled note near her pillow. It was from Naruto.

She knew that because she couldn't read his handwriting. It said something about a bridge and sorry for leaving her alone. She wasn't offended until he brought it up. It was like he liked to apologize to her. Jackass. She was the one that needed to apologize to him every day.

She heard a scream from down stairs. And chuckling. Something was wrong.

Her head felt like purple as she stood up. Her limbs screaming at her as they burned. Her stomach a knotted mess of something. Was that hunger? Maybe it was hard to tell.

"Let go of my mom!" She heard the smack from upstairs.

Stumbling out the door well through the door. She slammed into the wide of the wall with a solid thwack.

"Guh. What was that?" One man said humor in his voice. "Go check it out."

"You just want the bitch all to yourself!" Another voice called he sounded smaller. Kurama saw him as he rounded the corner. He saw her fist connect with his face while her foot met with his leg.

Slamming down hard she caught the leg and a bad angle. For him. It snapped off his foot rolling just out of the way enough to stop her from snapping the leg in two. His face wasn't so lucky. Her fist caught his nose. Blood errupted from it as the man went reeling backwards.

Turning sharply to her right She saw another man holding a woman with blue hair up against the wall. His pants mostly off and Her own clothes torn revealing her breast and nether regions.

Something inside of Kurama was incredibly offended by this sight. There it was. That Justification that she had used against Mizuki. That righteous fury of facing something that offended the very core of what you were. Kurama didn't know where it came from.

But she liked it.

The man struggled to toss the woman away and draw his sword. Swords were so lame. They took too long. Fists and Chakra were all Kurama needed.

She grabbed his arm stopping him from drawing the sword. She then punched him in the throat. Hard. she felt a pop as his adams apple cracked. He would die slowly. The man struggled for breath. With his arm in her hand she twisted him around. So that he was facing his companion. And the crying little boy she hadn't noticed.

She was going to give him a different show than watching his mother get raped.

She slammed the man down on the ground. His body crushing into his companions. She maintained a strong grip on his arm. Her muscles were burning. She was using to much of what little chakra she had.

"Raaah!" With a might yell she twisted. The shoulder popped. The sleeve tore. And then the skin stretched. Slowly tearing loose the arm separated from the man's body. He couldn't scream. Because he couldn't breath. Blood splattered the kitchen. The other man groaned. She smacked him with the limb. Hard. Before stuffing his friends hand down his throat.

She stood panting. Eyeing the terrified child. And startled woman.

"Thank you." Tsunami said as she attempted to make herself decent.

"I think I should eat." Kurama said bracing against the wall weariness suddenly taking hold of her. It was addreilsomething or other she knew. "It's probably been a while." Kurama said as though she needed explaining. Tsunami nodded and gave Kurama an apple. There was blood on it. Kurama didn't care. Her hand was soaked in blood.

"Where's Naruto, Sasuke and Kakashi?" Kurama asked in between large crunchy bite. "Also sorry about the mess." She said eyeing the two corpse like men on the floor. She wasn't going to clean them up.

"They're at the bridge." Tsunami said breathlessly offering another apple to Kurama. A red one. It hid the blood well. "Please save my father." Kurama nodded taking the second apple and began running towards the bridge.

"Wait which way?" Kurama asked as she realized she had no idea where anything is.

"Keep going straight follow the road!" Tsunami called after her.

XXXX

Kurama arrived at the miss covered bridge just in time to see the interesting bit. And to feel it.

Naruto stared up at Sasuke dumbfounded. Why did Sasuke intercept the attack aimed at him?

"Why?" It was no thank you. He didn't want to thank him. Thanking Sasuke right now would show that he was grateful that the bastard had hurt himself so that He wouldn't get hurt.

"My body." Sasuke struggled. "Just moved on it's own." Sasuke admitted. Then he collapsed. Sliding off Naruto and onto the cold damp bridge.

"He's dead." Haku confirmed his voice cold and calm. There was no regret in his voice. No remorse. "And soon you will be to."

Naruto remembered Kizashi. Kizashi took a barrage of shuriken for him and Kurama. And now Sasuke. Sasuke had taken a bunch of needles that was aimed at him. How many more people were going to do that. It made him feel weak.

Naruto stood tall and proud as Haku's needles barraged into him. He stood. He wasn't entirely sure how he stood. He felt his anger boiling over. Anger at not being able to save Sasuke's life. Anger that he couldn't do anything to stop all these people from getting hurt for him. Anger that he was weak.

He felt like he was seeing red. But all he saw was green.

"Shannaro!" Naruto shouted as his Chakra exploded.

XXXX

"Shannaro!" Kurama could have sworn she heard that before. She might have been able to put the pieces together.

"Fuck!" Kurama shouted in pain as she felt her head pulse like it was about to split open. It hurt so much. Not her body. Not her chakra. That intangible feeling of one's soul being stirred like a milkshake.

Kurama found herself staring at darkness. She was both herself and herself at that moment. She loomed over her human body as Kyuubi the nine tailed fox and stood beneath the beast basking in her own soul. This is what she was. A demon that had consumed a human. She looked forward and found herself staring at a shadow. Some small insignificant thing.

"What." It hurt to think here. To acknowledge here. "Are." It hurt to see here. "You?"

The shadow made a motion. Kurma couldn't see it was an empty motion of nothingness.

And then she was standing on the bridge again. Holding her head. She made her way forward again. Only for her breath to be taken away.

XXXX

"His Chakra. I can see it!" Haku whispered to himself. As he watched Naruto radiate the pale teal chakra. It didn't float or fly. It was heavy. It poured off of Naruto like a thick viscous fluid in bulbous chunks. The Needles sticking out of Naruto slid out of him dropping to the ground with slight pings.

"It's healing him." Haku realized. The Chakra was slowly moving towards Sasuke who laid motionless on the ground. It passed through the boy as though he didn't even exist. Yet the needles were being forced out and the wounds closing.

Sasuke let out a sharp gasp as he attempted to stand. "Naruto?" Sasuke asked still feeling rather weak.

If Naruto heard him he didn't say anything to distracted by what was happening to him and Haku. Naruto's hands blurred. The chakra that was pouring off of him was life. It had it's own commands. It guided his hands.

"Wood style! Great Tree Jutsu!" Naruto shouted slamming both hands down onto the ground. For a while nothing happened and the bridge filled with silence.

"You idiot." Sasuke said standing. Then he heard it. The waves below the bridge thrashed. The bridge creaked. Then a dozen branches bursted from the ground beneath Naruto. Sasuke was barely able to dodge as one of the branches burst from the ground he was standing on sending him outside of Haku's dome.

Some branches pierced the mirrors shattering them. Others constricted them. One. The one that Haku was in got slammed by a branch as it whirled around like a great wooden fist.

"Such power." Haku thought in amazement as her body was jettisoned from her own jutsu. Naruto was charging at her now. His face covered in odd markings that seemed to be reflected about his forehead. Under his headband. Haku watched him uncaringly as the mask fell from his face. He wasn't sure when or why it started to fall. But it did. "I hope I was useful to you Zabuza-sama." Was all Haku could think.

"Why?" He heard Naruto say. He had stopped. The lines were receding. He looked torn. Between beating him to oblivion or hugging him.

"I wanted to be a good tool to Zabuza." That was all there was. That was all she could say. All she wanted. She was simple and pure.

What happened next was a blur. Haku saved Zabuza from Kakashi Chidori. Naruto couldn't save him. He tried to call back the green chakra. But it was gone. He shouted Shannaro over and over. To get it to work. But nothing happened.

Gato arrived. Zabuza went wild. Gato died. The bridge and the village were saved.

At the end of it all. Kakashi and Kurama could only look at the massive tree in the middle of the bridge in awe.

"That's a new one." Kurama said aloud as she began wondering how on earth Naruto could use the 1st hokage's Jutsu.

"Yep." Kakashi simply replied scratching his head. He wondered briefly, why couldn't things ever be simple. The seal to the kyuubi almost breaking would have been so much simpler. He knew that existed. However. He had no idea what to think about Naruto using the 1st hokage's Jutsu. Maybe Minato was somehow related to the 1st. "This is going to be an odd mission report. How are you feeling by the way. Gave us a bit of a scare for a while." Kakashi said patting the Orange-pink-haired girls head gently. She growled. That was normal.

"Like my blood can't decided if it wants to start a bar fight or wants to watch the clouds." Kurama said annoyed. "Poison sucks."

"Yep." Kakashi said blinking. His one eye never leaving the tree.

XXXX

"Finally back in Konoha!" Naruto shouted running ahead of his team. "That was such a long mission!" he looked ready to fall over on the ground and just bask inside the village.

"We would have been back sooner if somebody didn't grow a fucking tree in the middle of the bridge." Kurama jabbed at Naruto. She didn't really mind being away from Konoha. But she hated the wave. It was so boring. Like unbelievably boring so boring she thought about putting herself in another coma to avoid actually spending time there.

"I'm sure you're all free to do what you want. I need to report to the hokage. The joys of being in charge." Kakashi replied from behind his orange book. He casually walked past his students.

"We should eat." Sasuke offered. His two teammates looked at him like he grew a third head. "What?"

"Careful Naruto Sasuke might be trying to take your job of making sure I don't die of starvation." Kurama's voice dripped with mirth as she poked Naruto's side. Naruto for his part was quick to get over his shock. Largely thanks to Kurama's teasing.

"Alright to Ichiraku's!" Naruto shouted turning on his heel. "You're paying right bastard?"

"In your dreams." Sasuke snorted. Looking more annoyed by the second. As to why he actually respected these two was beyond him. Kurama could beat him in Taijutsu. Though they hadn't fought since he unlocked his sharingan. And Naruto always put up a fight. Not to mention the blond did manage to save his life. He respected them. But he did not like them. At Least that's what Sasuke told himself.

"In my dreams I'm a giant demon and I get to crush people beneath my feet." Kurama said with a smile as she began following Naruto. Sasuke snorted rolling his eyes as he followed his teammates. He trusted Naruto's ability to lead them to ramen after all.

It was on a side street. A "Shortcut." As naruto put it. Funny how his short cuts always lead them to trouble. Where they encountered the children of the kazekage.

"I'm the grandson of the third hokage you can't hit me!" Whap! "Ahh!" A small nasally voice called out from an ally way. Naruto was quick to spring into action. He rounded the corner and found Konohamaru. An annoying brat that Kurama had scared off easily. With a soon to be large black eye as he was being held up by Kunkuro. With his sister Temari smiling as she leaned against the fence.

"There now we're even for you running into me!" Kunkuro shouted dropping the brat with a satisfying thud. "Now scram." Konohamaru whimpered and struggled to his feet before bolting away. Largely because he saw the last person to give him a black eye. Kurama.

"Who the hell are you?" Naruto demanded getting right up in Konkuro's face. Which only helped to show the height difference between the two.

"What you want some too pipsqueak?" Seriously who said that anymore. "Because I'm more than happy to beat you into the ground too."

"Wait are you guys ninja?" Temari laughed pointing at Naruto's headband. "Wow they must let anybody in in konoha." Naruto didn't like that smirk she was giving. She was only a year or two older than him. "Must be why your ninja are so weak. Low standards."

"Right they let demons be ninja and everything." Kurama said smiling. Letting loose her complete and utter okayness that she was quite okay with ending temari's life right there. She slowly snaked an arm around Temari's shoulder. "I mean really you can't judge every book by it's cover." she was about to flick one of Temari's pigtails.

"This killing intent." Temari thought as she gulped. "It reminds me of gaara." And the she felt her little brothers as well. "This is not good."

"That's enough." Gaara said appearing in the street with a swirl of sand. "You're embarrassing our village."

"Wait. why are foreign ninja in Konoha?" Sasuke asked. He walked there not changing his pace like Naruto or Kurama had. He didn't really care if somebody else got beat up.

"You mean you don't know?" Kankuro asked smiling. "We're here for the chunin exams. They're starting soon." Kankuro's smile was one of I know something you don't know. It made sasuke want to punch him.

"We just got back from a mission." Sasuke offered. "An A-rank." Kankuro snorted at that.

"Like a bunch of brats-"

"Enough. Kankuro!" Gaara half yelled raising his voice. It was only then did Kankuro realize that Gaara's eyes hadn't left that orange and pink haired girl's eyes. He didn't like the fact that the girl was smiling back at Gaara with such a predatory smile.

Kurama marched up to Gaara. The smile on her face would make small woodland animals roll over and wait to be eaten. It was a fox's grin. A predatory grin of the top predator. Gaara's sand flared up around him as she got in close to close.

"Boy." Kurama said sounding nothing like the twelve-thirteen year old little girl she appeared to be. And more like the ageless demon she truly was. "Tell Shukaku Kurama says hi." The sand flared and Kurama vanished as it whirled violently. While Gaara stood there an emotionless shock on his face.

"What are your names?" Gaara asked as the sand began to calm.

"Naruto Uzumaki."

"Sasuke Uchiha."

"Kurama." Kurama offered. Getting a look from Naruto and an annoyed scoff from Sasuke. Why did these assholes get to call her that.

"I see. Temari, Kankuro we're leaving." Gaara said shortly as the three siblings left.

"So can I call you Kurama now?" Sasuke asked with a raised eyebrow. He didn't care. Really. He didn't.

"Only if you call me Sakura-chan Sasuke-kun." Kurama said with a bright smile in a girly voice. Both Naruto and Sasuke fell over at the sudden tone shift. Kurama quickly broke out into a laugh snorting at their reaction.

"Never call me that again." Sasuke said with a red face. He didn't want another fan girl. Especially not a Kurama fangirl. She was at least tolerable.

"Yea Kurama-chan that wasn't funny. But who was Shukaku?" Naruto asked his face almost as red as Sasuke's.

"Hmm you'll find out." Kurama said as her laughter calmed down with on final snort. "Now let's go get that ramen!" As she finished that sentence she fell over. "I think I forgot to eat again."

XXXX

"So Sasuke unlocked his sharingan. That's excellent news, a bit early for an Uchiha, he must be proud." Hiruzen Sarutobi eyed Kakashi a small smile on his lips. "I am however worried about Sakura, It's not unheard of for a young child to be so used to killing, but she doesn't have the background to support that."

"Yea, in that regard she's more like me. But I think she enjoys fighting more than anything." Kakashi said sighing. He shifted on to his left foot. An anxious tick he was never able to truly shake. "She turned her brutality to any of her allies though, and Naruto and Sasuke were a be scared of it at first but they're able to still work together."

"That's good. I was worried about having to give her a mental evaluation." He began reaching for his pipe it was almost time to leave for the day after all. A good smoke was exactly what he needed. "You missed the Jounin meeting about Chunin exam nominations. Are you going to nominate Team 7 for the chunin exams?"

Kakashi's single eye blinked. "Hmm they're certainly strong enough to enter. Sasuke probably has the right mindset to be a chunin. And Sakura might, but I'm worried she'll take too many risks." Kakashi trailed off.

"And Naruto?" There was a hidden warning in his tone. About the fox. About the fourth. About the past. Kakashi could only smile and shrug.

"He's certainly unpredictable enough so I wouldn't put it past him. So yes. I reccomend team 7 for the Chunin exams." Kakashi replied happily.

"Excellent. Unless there's anything else you are dismissed." Hiruzen said happily. Kakashi remained standing. Hiruzen sighed. "There's something else isn't there." Kakashi became uncharacteristically sheepish.

"I was wondering about Naruto's parents." Kakashi was silenced by Hiruzen's raised hand.

"We will see how he does during the Chunin exams. If he does well it might be time to tell him." Hiruzen said with a smile. "I know I said jonin but I do think he deserves to know." Kakashi smiled.

"That's good. But that's not what I wanted to talk about." Hiruzen raised an eyebrow.

"Did he find out?" He was reminded of Sakura and her threat.

"No no, I was wondering if Sensei was related to the first hokage." That was something that honestly shocked Sarutobi.

"No I don't think so. While it's true that we don't know Minato's own parents it's unlikely he is related to the first. Why do you ask?" Hiruzen eyed his pipe. He was really going to need a smoke after this.

"Well you see. Naruto made a tree." Kakashi said flatly.

"Come again?" He hadn't started smoke yet had he. This wasn't some wild hallucination brought about by a bad smoke was it?

"When Naruto saved Sasuke's life. He used a Jutsu called "Great Tree" and created a tree… on an iron bridge. In the middle of the ocean. Sasuke also reported that Naruto grew strange lines along his body as well as a thick bulbous chakra that healed." Hiruzen blinked. Kakashi blinked. "What exactly is sealed inside Naruto?"

"The Kyuubi" Hiruzen replied immediately. "It's possible Minato or Kushina was able to modify the beast and the seal in someway. We will simply have to wait and see when Naruto master's the beasts chakra."

"That is all Hokage-sama." Kakashi said wait to be dismissed once more.

"Keep an eye on Naruto, I might need to call Tenzo back from his mission if Naruto can truly use Wood style jutsu. You are dismissed Kakashi. Unless you want to tell me Sakura can sprout wings." A bit of humor was what they both needed at the moment.

"She's more likely to grow horns at this point." Kakashi said quickly leaving. He needed to find his team and tell them they were going to be entering the chunin exams. Well the choice was still up to them. But they were going to say yes. Sasuke for his pride. Naruto for his need for respect. And Sakura for her need for challenge.

Kakashi vaguely wondered if the other teams would be okay. Assuming his team didn't beat itself to a pulp before they got to the fighting.

XXXX

"You are the lovely Sakura are you not?" A weird looking bull cut having green suit wearing lanky string bean asked Kurama as they were leaving the 2nd floor of the building. Sasuke had been kind enough to point out that they were on the 2nd floor and that there was a genjutsu. Naruto wasn't really paying attention to happy to be taking the chunin exams. And Kurama only recognized the number 9. Or 81. Or 387420489.

"Fuck off!" Kurama spat coldly. She was not the lovely anything. "Who the fuck are you?" The boy reeled in shock at her callous language.

"How youthful! But I am Rock Lee a taijutsu specialist. And I wish to challenge you to a fight. Should I win you will agree to go on a date wit me." Rock lee had sparkles in his eyes. Kurama blinked at him.

"Hey, bushy brows it's bad idea to ask Kurama-chan out." Naruto whispered warningly at Lee. He was also trying not to be jealous. Wasn't working.

"Deal!" Kurama said happily grabbing Rock Lees hand and taking him out back.

"Wait what?" Naruto and Sasuke shouted. Before looking at each other. Then back at the fading figure of Rock lee and Kurama.

"Wait did Lee actually get a date?" Tenten asked stepping in beside Naruto and Sasuke. Neji close behind her.

"What depraved human would ever agree to such a thing." Neji asked shaking his head in disgust.

"I think Kurama just heard the word Challenge and then forgot the rest." Sasuke said with a smirk. He received a look from Naruto.

"I still don't think you're allowed to use that." Naruto said giving Sasuke a withering looking. Before smiling brightly. "Don't worry I won't tell." Sasuke looked like he wanted to punch Naruto.

"Shut up." Sasuke said walking towards where Lee and Kurama went.

Naruto, Neji and Tenten followed his initiative. Eager to see what was happening. Naruto and Sasuke's eyes went wide as they entered the room seeing Kurama's face on the ground as Rock Lee held an arm behind her back.

"You are strong, but you have no style!" Rock Lee said with a confidant smile. "I had expected more from you."

"Shut up! You talk too Much!" Kurama shouted from the ground. A popping sound was heard as Kurama's should bent in an impossible way so that she could get a better position against lee.

"What?" Lee asked asked in amazement as Kurama's fist twisted and slammed into her face sharply. Knocking him backwards. He stood up quickly and watched as Kurama popped her shoulder back into place. "Amazing you dislocated your own shoulder to get me off of you, most impressive. I see why you were called a taijutsu genius."

"Genius?" Kurama spat rolling her shoulder. It hurt, but she could use her chakra to make sure it didn't get fucked up. "Nah. I just like to hit shit." Kurama growled charging at Lee once more. Rock Lee had more range. Rock Lee was strong. Rock Lee was faster. Kurama sought to over power that with ferocity and rage.

"I see." Lee said entering a stance once again. He countered Kurama's charge with a low sweep of his leg. "Then you shall fail in hitting me again." Rock Lee's eyes were hard as he sent Kurama tumbling. But he only saw her own eyes dancing with fire and her smile. The smile of somebody that was alive.

Caught off balance Kurama twisted in the air, slamming hard on the ground and changed directions quickly doing a short mid air leap towards Lee. Lee caught her first attack. A powerful haymaker from her right arm. Dodged her second attack a far less powerful jab from her left as her body weight wasn't behind it. Her leg met his supporting leg. Lee's eyes widened.

"She fights like an animal." Neji said in disgust. "Even the Inuzuka fight better than her." Tenten nodded in agreement. Sasuke merely nodded. Kurama was a natural at inflicting damage, it was both her greatest strength and greatest weakness. After all she only had her taijutsu. Nothing to fall back on.

Lee gasped as he was slammed onto the ground with Kurama on top of him. She thrashed. Her entire body was a weapon. That thought passed through his mind as her large forehead slammed into his nose suddenly. That was going to bleed.

"Enough!" Lee shouted, spinning around and kicking Kurama up in the air. "Primary locust!" He shouted as he kicked her higher up. "I am sorry Gai sensei." Lee whispered as he began to perform the primary locust. He wasn't expecting Kurama to be able to twist in the mid air. She grabbed onto his arms.

"Together then?" She asked with a smile on her face.

"Lee!" Might gai shouted as he entered the scene separating the two mid air. "I told you that technique is forbidden! Especially on a fellow leaf shinobi."

"Gai-sensei I'm sorry!" Lee said bowing deeply.

"As punishment you must run around the village 100 times!" Lee if anything seemed to be happy with the punishment. Gai turned his attention to Kurama. "You are one of Kakashi's student are you not."

"More or less" Kurama said proudly. She licked her lip. It was going to swell. And it was already kind of bleeding. She liked it.

"I am Might gai Kakashi's rival I."

"I don't care we have a test to get to." Kurama said walking past the man.

"Curse you Kakashi and spreading your hip ways to your genin!" Gai shouted behind her.

"Hey lee." Kurama said smiling at the student worshipping his master. Lee turned to her with a smile. "Next time we fight, let's lose the weights. And go all out." Kurama's blood smile was pure.

"She's kinda scary." Tenten said as she watched Kurama walk up to them.

"Yep." Naruto said happily as he walked past Tenten to meet Kurama. "You going to be okay?" She hated when he worried about her.

"Shut up I'm fine." Kurama growled. "Let's go do this exam thing."

XXXX

The first test was utter bullshit. Kurama was half tempted to sleep through it. She finished all the questions quickly enough. Most of them could be answered with "I don't know." Or "I punch it." Or "The right angle" It was a surprisingly simple test. For a simpleton. And now they were standing in front of the gates of some place called the "The forest of death"

There was also that purple haired woman that Kurama wanted to murder for reasons not relating to licking Naruto's cheek. She had almost thought the sadistic bitch was mildly entertaining until she pulled that stunt. Not that Kurama was jealous.

"Spooky name." Kurama offered her teammates. Her lip was fat from her fight with Rock Lee. It made talking funny.

"Let's make sure we're the deadliest thing in there then." Sasuke said with a cool smile. He had the scroll. It meant Kurama wouldn't have to worry about the scroll. She could just fight.

"You're learning Uchiha." Kurama said with a bright smile. "Next thing you know you'll be swearing like a champ and pissing on your enemies corpses." Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"I'd prefer burning them to ashes." Sasuke said his smile vanishing.

"Piss on the ashes then" Naruto joined in as they waited for the buzzer. Kurama smiled. She was corrupting them so easily.

The second that buzzer went off Team seven stepped into hell. If they knew what waited for them in that place. They would still gladly march forward. For they were team seven. The harder this forest tried to break them. The more they would break it.

It started off with a bathroom break. And Naruto coming back as not Naruto. Well someone else came back as Naruto. That was quickly dispelled as Kurama playfully slugged the intruder. And then beat them to a pulp. It was a grass ninja… probably. They didn't really have a face anymore.

And then he appeared. With a mighty gust of wind the team was separated. Naruto was sent flying to the right while Kurama and Sasuke were shot to the left.

"This promises to be quite entertaining." Orochimaru teased licking his lips oh so gingerly. He carefully took out an earth scroll. Neither Kurama nor sasuke reacted to it. "I bet you would so like to take this wouldn't you?"

"Why would we want that scroll?" Sasuke shot back not sparing a glance Kurama's way. He imagined her a perfectly calm and poised train wreck right now.

"Because it would go oh so well with your heaven scroll wouldn't it?" Orochimaru then slowly swallowed the scroll. Sasuke and Kurama only stared at him Sasuke's hand slowly reaching for his kunai pouch. "When this is all over, one of us will have both scrolls. The other will be dead."

The world froze for Sasuke. Killing intent many times strong that Zabuza poured out from Orochimaru. He saw his own death. He saw Kurama's death. Naruto's death. The death of the entire village. "What intense killing intent." Sasuke thought. His limbs unable to move. "I can almost taste his bloodlust." He was going to die! He couldn't move. The only thing that could move was his stomach. It lurched as his lunch violently came out.

He heard laughter. Coming from the man. No. It was giggling. Like what he might do at a child. "Kurama?" Sasuke asked looking over to see his teammate clutching her stomach. She was laughing.

"Oh what's so funny?" Orochimaru asked with a small smile. It wasn't unheard of for people to be driven to Maniacal laughter by fear.

"You call that threatening?" Kurama asked her laughter stopped coldly. "You're four hundred years too young to try and intimidate me. Orochimaru." This man Kurama remembered. It was one of the few things she did remember. She didn't remember the here or how. But she knew Orochimaru. The man did eventually become one of Naruto's trusted allies. Perhaps in this life he wouldn't.

"Oh how'd you figure out it was me." Orochimaru was surprised but didn't allow it to show. He watched in annoyed curiosity as Kurama simply shrugged.

"Does it matter?" Kurama said her smile growing fierce. "You may have given up your humanity to become a monster. But how will you function." She may not have her Chakra or her body. But that didn't matter for killing intent. That was a measurement of blood spilled a readiness to kill again. For someone like Naruto he wouldn't have any killing intent. For Orochimaru a fifty year old veteran of two Shinobi wars. It was quite a bit.

Compared to Kurama. A demon who had killed humans for centuries, eradicated villages with a swipe of her powerful tails. Compared to that. Orochimaru was but a drop in the ocean.

"When you come face to face with someone who was never human?" Kurama let it all pour out. It roared. And Orochimaru flinched. Taking a step back as he felt the pure willingness to kill radiate off of Kurama.

"Impressive." Orochimaru spat out sweating forming on his forehead. "Very impressive indeed." Kurama's smile turned into a glare. And all the eagerness to kill all the blood she had ever spilled was suddenly directed at Orochimaru. He saw his death a thousand times by fire. A thousand times in a thousand different ways. It sent a clear message. This girl. Was not to be made an enemy of.

"Come on Sasuke." Kurama said kicking the boy. "We're going to have to work together if we're to bring this guy down." All the killing intent in the world didn't change the fact that she wasn't as strong as she needed to be.

"How did you…" Sasuke asked in wonder. He had felt a bit of it. Just a fraction of what Orochimaru received. But still more than what Orochimaru put out. Orochimaru promised death. Kurama promised annihilation.

"No time, let's take him down before Naruto gets back!" Kurama shouted charging at Orochimaru.

"You're going to let a girl do all the work?" Sasuke asked himself as his body started moving after Kurama. He knew what to do. Kurama had appeared to be slightly fire resistant before. Or atleast fearless of being burnt. "Fireball jutsu!" He called out jumping high in the air. The fireball sped past Kurama.

Kurama could only smile as she saw Orochimaru take the full attack. He screamed. She charged into the fire. It licked her body and she felt warm. But the flames were already dieing. Rearing her right fist she slammed into Orochimaru's face.

He didn't budge. His face contorted from the impact but even his neck didn't move. Instead he simply looked at her with uncaring eyes.

"It appears as though your bark is worse than your bite." Orochimaru was smiling now. Kurama growled and twisted around to deliver a roundhouse kick to Orochimaru's head. He dodged out of the way easily. And began his counter attack.

The first blow was to her stomach. She felt things move in there. They weren't going to end up back to normal. The second blow was to her shoulder. The one she had dislocated earlier. It popped out again. The third blow was his knee colliding with her face. The fourth was punch to her chest forcing the air out of her lungs. The fifth was Kunai that lodged itself into her upper left arm and another that went into her stomach. Deep. The final blow wasn't against Kurama but against Sasuke how had attempted to come to her aid. It was a kick to the stomach that sent him flying.

Kurama realized that she was about to die. For the first time ever the nine tailed fox was suddenly feeling very mortal. When a human realizes that they might die they become overwhelmed by fear. With a few exceptions. But for Kurama.

She had never felt so alive.

She smiled as she pulled out the kunai from her leg. And held it infront of her.

"Oh still up are you? Let's see how you deal with this." Orochimaru pulled up his sleeve and ran his bloody finger along the summoning tattoo on his left arm. "Summoning jutsu!"

In a gust of wind Kurama found herself facing down a giant snake with scales like armor.

"Why don't you play with this while I entertain Sasuke-kun." And with that Orochimaru flew towards Sasuke.

Kurama licked her fat and bloody lip. Her right arm was useless. Blood was pouring from her left. Her leg was bleeding. Quite a lot actually. She could feel the door of death closing in around her.

And she was gladly running towards it. Death didn't frighten her. It excited her.

"Bring it on!" Kurama shouted forcing her body to move forward. She charged towards the massive snake as it reared it's head back to strike at her. With it's massive muscles it launched like a bolt of thunder towards Kurama. It's mouth wide open to try and swallow her whole. Kurama caught it's nose with her kunai. It slipped leaving a long cut.

Kurama found herself holding the mouth open from the inside. She had never been eaten before. But she assumed it wouldn't be pleasant. Kurama growled the kunai had slipped from her hands on her way into it's mouth. And it's insides were slimy. She saw its massive fangs. One was close enough to hit. With her limp leg she flared her chakra letting forcing her muscles to move, and kicked the fang.

It came loose and she felt the snake shake and move.

"Dragon flame jutsu!" Sasuke's voice. From outside. It sounded like he was struggling with Orochimaru. Oh how she wished she had her command of fire still.

Grabbing the tooth. She quickly positioned it straight up. Just in time for the snake to bite down. Hard. The fang proved to be hard enough to pierce the inside of the snakes mouth and up into it's brain.

Quickly squeezing her way out of The snake's mouth Kurama looked around for Orochimaru. It was easy to find him. Or rather easy to find Sasuke fighting him as her teammate unleashed a powerful fire jutsu.

Her face still in a grimace of a smile Kurama charged forward and upwards. She pushed out the pain as she realigned her shoulder. It popped back in again. She embraced the buring pain of her leg as it spurted blood along her run up the tree.

Ninjas used stealth. Subtle. Subterfuge. Kurama was not a ninja. She saw Orochimaru extending his neck towards Sasuke. And brought her knee cap full force on the elongated neck. Causing Orochimaru's head to whiplash.

"Annoying little girl!" Orochimaru shouted as he shot his head back towards Sakura, mouth extended like a snake. Kurama bounced away just barely avoiding it. Allowing orochimaru's neck to retract into his body. "I guess I'll have to kill you myself."

Kurama yelped in pain a blade of wind cut deep into her arm.

"Dammit Naruto." Kurama swore in her mind as she searched for the blond. "Now would be a really good time for a heroic entrance." She was falling down now. Her back snapping against one of the many massive trees.

"Kurama-chan!" Naruto shouted catching her mid air. He looked like shit.

"Right on time jackass." Kurama said smiling. She felt nothing but pure relief as Naruto held onto her. She didn't feel the roughness of his landing. Just the warmth and safeness of him being here. And she fucking hated it.

"Did he do this to you and Sasuke?" Naruto asked his eyes dark as he set Kurama down safely on a massive branch next to sasuke. Safe was a relative term. They were still within striking distance.

"Yea." Sasuke answered for Kurama. "This guy's tough." Sasuke was out of breath and nearly out of chakra. The sides of his lips were also burnt.

Naruto turned to face Orochimaru. The lines from the sprang onto his being. Covering his body in thick dark green lines.

"Oh is that the one hundred strength seal? How on earth did you learn that boy?" Orochimaru asked amused. "To think one so young could master Tsunade's Jutsu." Orochimaru chuckled. "Shame I'm going to kill you and that little girl."

At those words Naruto's chakra flared and that dark green chakra poured out from him once again. One blob launched itself at Sasuke. Healing his wounds quickly and restoring his chakra. Another went to Kurama.

Kurama screamed as the blob attached itself to her. The scream lasted for a second but it was the most honest scream Kurama had ever unleashed. It was a scream of pure agony. And then suddenly the scream stopped. And Kurama passed out. The bulbous green chakra mending her wounds.

"Worry about it later Naruto." Sasuke shouted seeing his teammates shock at Kurama's scream. "She'll be fine." Sasuke said in a lower voice partly for himself and partly for Naruto. "As long as we deal with that guy."

"Right. So what's the plan." Naruto asked feeling whatever power was flowing through him. The power was soothing to him. Like a cool breeze on a hot day. It soothed him. It told him to fight only to protect. And he was grateful for that fact.

"There's trees here think you'll be able to use that jutsu you did on the wave?" Sasuke asked as Orochimaru continued to stare at them with curiosity. The long they had to plan the better. The longer that freak didn't act the more time they would have to recover.

"Maybe." Naruto asked he concentrated. The hand seals were there. But he didn't think he could do anything fancy with it. But maybe. Just brute force would be enough. "Yea I think I can."

"Alright. Then. Let's use that then." Kakashi had warned naruto not to use any of those jutsu. Especially after a week of trying to replicate the effect. It wasn't wise to rely on it if he couldn't call it on a whim. But Sasuke had other ideas.

"He thinks we're just kids." Naruto said his frown turning into a smile. "Let's show him we're warriors about to run wild!" Naruto's hands blurred between the hand seals, he was half guessing, half making them up as he went along. He could feel what the Jutsu he was trying to do was calling for. A value of life, a will to live of impossible standards and the vitality of several men.

"Wood style! Wild rush!" Naruto shouted. Before the effect was delayed. But here in the forest. It was instantaneous. The branch beneath Naruto and Sasuke Exploded as thick bushy vines became their ground. Wrapping around their feet to keep them sturdy.

Sasuke was caught off balance for but a moment but quickly found his footing. Somehow Naruto had even managed to give him some control over where he was going. Orochimaru was not so lucky fines shot out from the other trees entangling him and rooting him to the branch he was standing on.

"What? The first hokage's Jutsu?" Orochimaru yelled in shock. As his limbs became constricted. "Hehe I might have a different target than Sasuke after all." The Sharingan was rare after all. But those that could use Wood style Jutsu. Those were much more rare. "If I get that boys body I'll be able to unlock the secrets of the first hokage!" Orochimaru thought with glee.

"Grand fireball Jutsu!" Sasuke shouted using his vine growth to to enter a fantastic position above Orochimaru. Guiding the vines to spin around Orochimaru he maintained his jutsu burning through the chakra naruto had given him rather quickly.

But the effect was spectacular as a mighty pillar of fire began to spin around Orochimaru. Naruto's vine's twisted around continuously diving in their now blazing tendrils lashing at Orochimaru.

"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted getting his teammates attention. Sasuke's eyes widened as he saw what Naruto had been doing. A massive spiralling mass of vines formed a gigantic spear in Naruto's hands. The point gleamed with sharpness. Naruto let loose the vine spear with tremendous force. Some of the vines shot out of the cluster latching onto object to pull itself faster towards it's target.

"Fire style, Dragon flare!" Sasuke called out hitting the rear of the spear. Sending wicked flames down it's spiralling mass. And furthering its speed.

"Uchiha-Uzumaki combo! Pillar of creation!" The two called out proudly. As the great spear pierced Orochimaru with such force and speed it nearly ripped him in two. The fires erupted from the inside of the spear they consumed the vines hungrily growing hotter and burning Orochimaru.

The two leaf ninja stared long and hard at the smouldering corpse they had created. It was burnt and battered beyond all recognition. The branch below them was still crackling with the heat. Then the two made a mistake that could have costed them their lives. They turned their back on their fallen foe smiling.

It was then that Orochimaru struck. His clone began crumbling from behind them. He bit down hard onto Naruto's neck. He always wondered how his curse seal would function on one of the senju. On one with Hashirama's legendary vitality. He didn't have to question if they would survive his seal. "Thanks to that woman, the mortality rate has been reduced to one in 5." Orochimaru thought happily as he felt Naruto freeze under his bite.

"Naruto!" Sasuke shouted as he realized his teammate had just been bitten. It happened too quick for Sasuke to react properly. He turned just in time to See Naruto scream in pain and collapse onto the ground. "What did you do?" Sasuke shouted throwing some Kunai towards Orochimaru as his head retreated back to it's body.

"I only gave him the gift I had intended for you Sasuke-kun." Orochimaru said with a hint of disappointment in his voice. "Don't worry you'll get yours soon enough. Good luck against my sound ninja" Sasuke stared as Orochimaru vanished. He stared at the limp bodies of Naruto and Kurama.

"Shit."

XXXX

"That's twice in one year! I'm making progress with being able to influence things!"

A small sizzling appeared and a small white snake appeared.

"That's new…. Why does this thing have Orochimaru's face kinda?"

The white snake slithered and didn't much care for it's surroundings. It knew exactly what to do. And nothing could interfere.

"Hmm his curse seal? Oh hey a red snake too. That certainly different."

The red snake squeezed out and briefly regarded the voice. It nodded happily. The red snake then quickly grew in size as it darted after the white snake. Swallowing it whole.

"What on earth is happening out there? I hope I get to see them again soon."

 **AN: Well Here's chapter 2. I'm not super happy with it, but that's largely because this chapter had to stick largely to canon plot wise so I can get to my own plot points in upcoming chapters.**

 **I also skipped most of the wave. Because I hate the wave mission. Like I hate it a lot. It's horrible to write about most of the time. Killed many of my fics years ago. And the started of the chunin exams is also not terribly fun to write about but. Things should start picking up after the 2nd stage is over.**

 **My next update will likely be for Naruto is Not a Teddy Bear, A Naruto Female Gaara fic that I absolutely adore writing. So check that out. I'm also working on a one shot called "Motherf% &$ers" It involves Naruto, Sasuke, and Tomatoes. **

**Anyways. Next time We get to see how Sasuke deals with the Sound ninja alone. I wonder if anybody will bother coming to his aid. We also get to see how Naruto deals with a curse seal. And hopefully find out what's up with that bulbous green chakra of his. And maybe some insight as to how he can use wood style jutsu in this time lane.**


	3. Roar Sasuke!

"Wake. The. Fuck. Up. You. Useless. Bitch." Sasuke was straddling Kurama at this point. Punctuating every word with a firm slap to the face.

A good caretaker Sasuke was not.

He dropped her to damp mossy ground of the shelter he had found. Sasuke let out a noise that sounded like an angry badger crossed with an tiger. He moved to Naruto. Grabbed him by the shirt and pulled his face up.

"Wake. Up. Naruto. This. Is. Your. Fault." Naruto was silent. He didn't even look like he felt the slaps. The bastard. With a grunt Sasuke all but shoved Naruto to the ground again.

"I hate you both." Sasuke mumbled as he rummaged through Kurama's pack and pulled out one of her protein bars. They weren't his favorite things in the world, those were tomatoes. But they were food and he felt like he needed a bit of revenge against them.

For leaving him alone to guard their warm corpses in the middle of a forest surrounded by giant beasts oh and enemy ninja. Can't forget about the ninja that were going to try and kill them for a stupid scroll. He felt the Heaven's scroll in his pouch. He had briefly considered giving it to that weird snake fucker to make him go away.

In the end the Ninja didn't even want their scroll. Just to give him a seal. But Naruto had the seal now. All because he could do Wood style jutsu with that weird ass green chakra of his. He looked over at his two teammates.

"Dammit not again." Sasuke muttered to himself. He knew it was risky to talk to himself. But dammit he wasn't used to them being this quite. Team seven wasn't quite. They didn't do stealth.

Sasuke wasn't sure what bothered him more. The fact that he was alone in the goddamn forest watching over his two teammates. That stupid smile Naruto had plastered on his face. The fact that every so often Kurama would move over and put her hands around Naruto. The fact that that last fact bothered him. Or perhaps it was the three ninja that have been sitting there in the tree for the past hour staring at him.

Did they honestly think they were being stealthy? The girl jingled whenever she moved. The boy clanked when he brushed his arm against thing. And the other boy shushed his teammates when his arms weren't making that hollow tube sound. They were probably worse than Team seven at stealth.

"Mmm Ramen." Naruto mumbled that smile on his face made Sasuke want to rip of that face and force Naruto to eat his own face in a bowl of ramen.

Sasuke was not having a good day.

He didn't want to fight three on one alone. He also knew that the longer he waited. The more chakra he would get back. And the higher the chance one of his teammates would wake up. Right now he was hoping that Kurama would wake up first. Largely so she'd stop clinging onto Naruto. That and she was a good fighter.

"What on earth is happening to you two?" Sasuke asked himself as to took an angry bite out of Kurama's protein bar.

XXXX

"For the last fucking time I don't fucking understand. Why the fuck did you form hands first and not your fucking mouth?" Kurama had lost track of time at this point. She was stuck in a mindscape again. Unlike last mindscape there was no cage to hold her back. But this place was more boring that Naruto's by far. She hated this place. Her mind scape. It was so black so desolute. So absolutely fucked with nothingness.

There was only her. Kurama standing below the fox like form of her own aura maybe? Or was it who she really was. And that same formless entity she had encountered the last time she was here. Kurama really hoped that this wasn't her mindscape. She'd hoped that after four hundred years of thinking it'd be more interesting than emptiness.

The formless shape before her now had hands. Oh they were lovely articulate things with fingers and nails quite well detailed actually. And it kept making obscene gestures at Kurama in an attempt to get her to understand something.

It was the most boring unimaginative game of charades ever played.

"Fucking hell Three words. Summarize what you want in three fucking words god dammit." Kurama spat at the thing.

It made several gestures with it's hands that meant absolutely nothing to Kurama. Or it. The entity appeared to be just as frustrated as her. That was good. Common ground. It took a thinking pose rubbing it's temples that didn't exist. Finally it clapped.

"Well let's fucking have it then." Kurama growled once again questioning what was stopping her from simply trying to destroy this thing. It wasn't that she didn't want to. She did but here she could never reach whatever the hell it is.

The hands formed two peace signs and held them up.

"... four?" Kurama guessed.

The hands were frustrated.

XXXX

Naruto Uzumaki was happy as could be. He had just passed the genin exam with Kurama and Sasuke! They were going to be an awesome team! He couldn't wait to get home to his mother.

"Hey mom! I'm home!" Naruto shouted practically busting down the door as he slammed it open and then slammed it close. He was just super happy to see his mom today for some reason.

"How was the test kiddo." His mom asked from the kitchen. He could smell her cooking.

"Great! Me Kurama-chan and Sasuke passed!" Naruto yelled running into the kitchen to hug his mother.

"Oh great job Naruto, I'm so proud of you." At that moment Naruto had never felt so happy.

XXXX

"Wipe that stupid grin off your face loser." Sasuke grunted kicking Naruto on the hip. It wasn't a hard it. It would only bruise slightly. Nothing more than a love tap by Team seven standards.

"Should you be more gentle with your wounded teammates?" Dosu said as his team of sound ninja entered the field. Sasuke stared at them with a half-bored expression.

"About damn time." He said just loud enough that they could hear him. Sasuke resisted the urge to smile. They were standing right where one of his traps were. But first he would need information. "So what scroll you got?" his tone was as casual as could be, hoping to catch them off guard and give them information.

"You knew about us?" the girl. Kin asked. Her once cocky smile washed away with surprise. "Why didn't you act on it then? You could have attacked us!"

"Your scroll?" Sasuke asked ignoring the girl. She seemed weak and incredibly underwhelming.

"That doesn't matter, we're here for you." Dosu said tilting his one eyed head at Sasuke. The effect might have scared some other ninja. But Sasuke was on Team Seven. And Sasuke just learned that Team Seven Doesn't run away.

"Well here I am, what do you want?" Sasuke asked casually. Taking exactly three and one quarter steps forward. He was in position. They were in position. Dumbasses.

"Your life."

"Sorry busy with it." Sasuke shifted his foot on the ground, snapping a thread of ninja wire along a kunai twenty paces behind him. The ringing and slicing sound as the wire unwound itself was of a thousand bees swarming past at once.

Kin was the slowest. The wires surrounded her completely. Before dragging her to a nearby tree with a mighty thud. Zaku was able to react the quickest. Probably because he wasn't talking. He didn't get hit by any wires as they sipped around him by letting out a high powered sound blast at the ground. Dosu managed to block most of the wires with his arm and managed to hold is ground not being forced back by their tension.

"Clever trap!" Dosu shouted pulling out a kunai and cutting the wire easily. "You already took out kin, you might actually be a."

"Kurama is right Ninjas talk to much." Sasuke shouted throwing a single kunai at Dosu. Before leaping back and going through a flurry of hand signs. "I don't have much chakra left but I should be able to take on these two." The Sharingan spun to life at the thought.

"Phoenix flower jutsu!" A half dozen balls of fire shot out from Sasuke's mouth all aimed at the prone Zaku.

"Decapitating Airwave!" Zaku shouted releasing a mighty gust of wind from his hand towards Sasuke. Intercepting the Fireballs. They vanished under the power of the wind. Dosu simply blocked the Kunai with his large metal gauntlet. He was about to laugh. Then he heard the small tell tale hiss of an explosive note.

The Kunai hissed twirling spiraling inches closer to Zaku. Dosu didn't have time to warn his teammate. He only had enough time to brace for the explosion and ponder if Sasuke had planned for him to deflect it instead of dodge.

Sasuke grunted barely managing to move out of the direct impact of the blast. But the splash radius still managed to hit him. His left arm was bleeding now. Not good.

His explosive Kunai went off, and Zaku was sent flying once again, having been caught in most of the blast radius. His leg was mangled. And burned. Somehow he managed to stay coherent through the blast.

Dosu was faring much better. His gauntlet absorbed much of the impact, with most of the damage being to his straw raincoat. Now a burnt mess. "The Curse mark seal made you strong Sasuke!" Dosu shouted.

"Curse mark seal?" Sasuke asked loudly regaining his footing. They were talking again.

"Yes the mark Orochimaru gave you. Can you feel its power?" Dosu asked smiling under his thick bandages. "The bloodlust? Show me the power it gives!"

"Naruto was the one that got a seal not me." Sasuke said flatly sharrigan reading their every movement.

"Then how are you so strong?" Zaku said walking out of the bushes. Sasuke blinked. They had only fought for fifteen seconds and they were already talking again. And they thought he was strong. Sasuke didn't really feel his performance thus far was worth the praise.

"Simple." There it was. That Uchiha pride. "I'm an Uchiha, and ninja of Konoha." And with that Sasuke leaped into action once again. Throwing two Kunai at Zaku. Zaku appeared to rely on his arms for his fighting, it was a long range attack with a long charge time. Useless is close combat. And Sasuke excelled in close combat. Well Sasuke just excelled.

Dosu was a different problem. Until he found out exactly what that gauntlet did. It made people sick, he recalled that much from the first part of the exam. He would have to be cautious.

A shriek and then a hollow thuuum echoed through the forest as Zaku launched one of his devastating air attacks. The sharingan allowed him to gather more information this time. Zaku had hollow tubes in his arms, he used his chakra to force out the air for devastating attacks. "What would happen if I broke those tubes?" Sasuke thought to himself, carefully dodging the initial blast. Jumping to dodge would be bad here. It would leave him vulnerable to a follow up attack.

Thuuum.

Another attack just barely missed Sasuke. It appeared that Zaku had to remain somewhat stationary. Probably to prevent being knocked down. Sasuke was inside Zaku's defenses now. At a range that most people and shinobi would find uncomfortable.

"He's fast." Dosu thought preparing to act. It was dangerous to get close to Zaku when he was using his wind cannons. And it was dangerous for Dosu to get close due to the nature of his gauntlet. It was becoming quite obvious that Zaku was going to lose. And Kin was already out.

Sacrifices had to be made.

Sasuke tore down the pitiful defense Zaku attempted to put up. A forearm to each arm knocked them away leaving the chest exposed. A knee to the gut left the back exposed. A pile drive to the back left the arms exposed. A grab and a shove to the elbow popped the elbow and caused one of the tubes to erupt from Zaku's skin. The eternal mechanism was destroyed. That arm would be nothing but a burden now.

Dosu struck at that moment. Bringing down his heavy metal gauntlet between Sasuke and Zaku. Sasuke had time enough to react dodging the blow with relative easy. But he knew that wouldn't be enough.

XXXX

Naruto was so happy. He was having dinner with his mother. Kizashi, Mebuki and Kurama. They were all celebrating their first real mission now.

"Hey Naruto-kun." Kurama said to him slowly. He saw her blushing. Kurama never blushed. But he didn't care.

"What is it Kurama-chan?" He asked with a wide smile on his face. He was shocked when she suddenly kissed him. On the lips. It was odd. The world stopped then.

He felt the presence behind him. He turned to see a door he didn't remember being there. Largely because it was in the middle of the room not connected to any walls.

"It's time to wake up Naruto-kun." A womanly voice said. The door opened. A woman stood in the doorway. She was taller than him. But she wasn't super tall. She was older than him. But she wasn't super old. She was very pretty. She was super pretty. She had long pink hair that flowed down her back in elegant waves. She had brilliant green eyes. That glowed. Like him She had whisker marks on her face. His eyes were drawn to something shining on her finger. A ring.

"This is a lovely dream Naruto-kun but you must wake up." She said firmly. Her smile was melting his heart.

"Do what she says, Naruto." His mother said to him. She wasn't frozen. "We'll meet again I promise." Naruto wasn't so sure about that. He turned to the pink haired woman once again. A deep frown on her face. She was sad about something.

"Okay." Naruto said as he walked into the door.

XXXX

Sasuke's ears were ringing immediately. All he could hear was that damn ringing. He lost his footing. He saw Zaku was in no better state. And Dosu was standing above his fallen companion with a bored look on his face. He seemed amused. Sasuke could tell this idiot was about to tell him how his technique worked.

"There's nothing you can do to block my attacks." Dosu said smugly. "I attack the inner ear. You can't guard that." Sasuke frowned. That much was true.

He vaguely considered rupturing his own ears to stop the attack. With his Sharingan he didn't need his ears to fight. Kurama and Naruto were rubbing off on him. But he wasn't a one trick pony.

He was an Uchiha. And Uchiha excelled at everything. With his footing still shaky Sasuke took the air jumping away and an odd angle he prepared what remained of his chakra for a powerful fire jutsu.

"Fire style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!" Sasuke called out. His aim was going to be off. Balance was more important in the air. He had to make up for lack accuracy with pure power. The effect was instant as an arc of flame shot out from Sasuke's mouth blanketing the area in Incredibly hot fire. Normally the Jutsu was guided by NInja wire to make sure that all of it's power hit the target. But without Ninja wire to guide it, the flames spread wildly.

Dosu cursed. And in a moment of kindness kicked Zaku's body to safety. Leaving him unable to avoid the majority of the flames. Dosu banged on his gauntlet amplifying the sound quickly so that it was visible to the naked eye. Forming a semi coherent shield. It knocked away some of the flames. But there was still a lot. And a few managed to make their way in. Burning at Dosu's skin and bandages.

Sasuke frowned landing on the ground with a dignified thud. He cursed. Dosu was still standing and aside from a few burns, was still in top fighting condition. And Sasuke was out of Chakra.

"Take of breather Sasuke!" Naruto's hand firmly grasped Sasuke's shoulder. "Can't let you say you took out a whole genin team by yourself." Sasuke smiled as he turned to see Naruto. He was the same old Naruto. What ever that Curse mark did it didn't seem to have any effect on him. Sasuke couldn't help but think that Orochimaru was going to be disappointed at just how unpredictable Naruto was.

"Be Careful his Arm attacks your inner ear. It'll make you sick and dizzy." Sasuke warned using Naruto to stand up right. He then slowly made his way towards Kurama. Who looked mildly displeased that Naruto wasn't there anymore.

"I'll keep that in mind." Naruto said smiling. "Multi-shadow clone jutsu!" Twenty Shadow clones appeared around the field. All wielding Kunai. "Give us your scroll, and you can take your team and leave."

Dosu surveyed the area. There were a lot of clones. He could hear them all breathing at different rates. They were solid alright. Zaku and Kin were both down for the count. He frowned. Retreating did seem like the best option. This Naruto had the Curse seal. But was also at max energy. While he wasted a lot of his to block Sasuke's fire jutsu.

"Very well." Dosu said taking out the earth scroll and placing it oh so gently on the ground. Two of Naruto's shadow clones gathered up Zaku and kin and dumped them next to Dosu. Dosu managed to pick them up with ease.

At Least they hadn't failed orochimaru. They had tested Sasuke. And Sasuke had found them wanting.

"You feeling alright?" Sasuke asked Naruto. Naruto simply looked at him with a half smirk.

"Me you're the one bleeding." Naruto said pointing to Sasuke's arm. "But yea, my neck hurts is all." Naruto said rubbing the spot he was bitten. "What about Kurama-chan?" Naruto looked at the still sleeping girl. She was sprawled out in a weird way now.

"Well she's been trying to grope you in her sleep. But other than that I have no idea what's wrong with her." Sasuke shrugged. "Think you can do that weird green chakra thing for me?" They really needed to find a better name for it. Weird green chakra thing didn't exactly roll of the tongue.

"If I knew how to do it I would." Naruto admitted pulling up his shoulders in a shrug. "It seems to happen when I think one of you guys are dieing."

XXXX

"Two." Kurama asked slowly.

The hands gave her a thumbs up.

"Become one?"

Another thumbs up.

"Okay so two become one."

They gave her two thumbs up.

"So… You want to combine with me?"

Another thumbs up.

"Okay… What do I get out of it, and how?"

The hands make a bunch of gestures.

"I have no idea what you just said."

If hands could sigh.

"Alright why don't you call me back when you get a mouth. In the mean time let me leave."

The hands stocked a chin that didn't exist. Then snapped their fingers. And pointed towards a door behind Kurama.

"I'm going to pretend that wasn't there the whole time."

XXXX

Kurama's eyes opened up. She was staring right into Naruto's deep sky blue orbs. His face was simply inches away from hers. All she'd have to do to kiss was move up an inch. Wait where did that come from? She felt her face heat up. Her heart went thump thump a bit quicker.

"Holy fuck personal space Naruto!" Kurama yelled moving her legs to kick Naruto in the stomach. She liked the way he flew backwards.

"Ahh good Kurama you're awake." Sasuke said cooly.

"The fuck did I say about calling me that you ass?" Kurama glared at Sasuke half tempted to throw something at him. She just kicked Naruto away so she was out of good ammunition. Naruto was a surprisingly good Anti-sasuke projectile.

"Fine next time I'll just let the enemy ninja take you. Sakurama." Sasuke said smiling at his own cleverness.

"Fucking fine. Call me Kurama you asshole I guess you're close enough to earning it. But I swear to god if you put a chan or anything but sama at the end of it I'm going to gut you three ways to sunday." Kurama glared at Sasuke. She hated that smile on his face more than anything. But for a brat that had the eyes that could control her former form. He wasn't that bad.

Even in this timeline he wasn't that big of a prick.

"Whatever you say." He smiled. He was going to do it. He was going to invoke her fury. Naruto let out a small prayer for the soon to be corpse of his friend. "Kurama-chan."

And that's how Sasuke got a black eye. A nice round shiner that was a testament that Kurama wasn't just all bark.

XXXX

"Slower than I expected." Kakashi said as he poofed into the room. The scrolls summoned him. He hated being summoned. He blamed minato for taking him on a Flying Thunder God Jutsu ride one to many times. It just didn't feel right. Kakashi let out a small burp. A bit of gas always got stuck when he teleported. He played it off as though nothing happened. "Run into some tough fights?"

"Hey cool we can summon Kakashi-sensei now!" Naruto shouted excitedly. Sasuke stepped forward. He examined his Sensei closely. Kakashi eyed his student with half amusement.

"We were attacked, by Orochimaru. At Least according to some sound-nins." Sasuke had made doubly sure to remember the name. "He put some sort of Mark on Naruto. And he had said it was suppose to be for me. But because of Naruto's wood style, he picked him instead. Do you know what's going on?" A deep breath was taken and then sent back out from Sasuke. He wanted to know why, they were attacked, why he was targeted. And why Naruto was taken instead.

"Naruto Let me see this Mark." Kakashi ignored the other questions. This took priority if it was anything like Anko's this could be a lot of trouble when dealing with the Kyuubi.

"I'm okay really sensei." Naruto waved his hand casually. "It doesn't even hurt or." He was forced to bite his tongue. Kurama's fist slammed down onto the top of his head quickly.

"You fucking dumbass. Let the man see the god damn seal. Who knows what the fuck could happen with that seal and the kyuubi inside of you." Kurama dug her knuckles deep into the blonds hair hoping to tear a bit of skin. She then heard a gasp from Kakashi and Sasuke.

"Kyuubi?" Sasuke asked raising an eyebrow at Kurama and Naruto. Naruto turned his head in shame. He was refusing to meet Sasuke's gaze.

"Yea he's got the Kyuubi sealed inside of him, got any problems with that?" Kurama threatened. She was covering up her fuck up with pure anger. That normally worked. Hopefully it would work again.

Sasuke pondered. Staring intently at his short blond haired teammate. "So, you have the kyuubi inside of you. You can create more shadow clones than Kakashi without even breaking a sweat. You can use the first hokage's Wood jutsu sometimes. And when somebody really important to you is dieing you have this weird green gooey Chakra that heals people. Is there anything even remotely normal about you Naruto?" Sasuke finished with a smile as Naruto turned to face him wide eyed.

"Yea" Naruto shrugged out a laugh as he fought back a tear. "I hate vegetables." Sasuke let out a short snort from his nose. It was a laugh.

"Well now that cats out of the bag." Kakashi said clapping his hands. "Seal now. Both of them. That means shirt off." Naruto suddenly went into panic mode.

"What? Here in front of Kurama-chan and Sasuke?" Naruto brought his hands up waving them around as he stepped away from his slowly approaching sensei.

"What you going to tell us you have a fox tail and dragon wings now?" Sasuke offered. Naruto seemed to deflate. At that.

"Yea come on there's not much about you that can freak us out." Kurama said huffing. She already know about the seal. She was inside of it for nearly one-hundred years after all. It was certainly the least painful seal. Big giant cage that she could turn around in. Much better than giant boulders and spikes. She shivered.

"Guh fine. Just… Don't get upset." Naruto said staring at Kakashi. The Jonin noded slowly but raised a curious eyebrow none the less. Naruto's Jacket hit the floor with a thud, his simple T-shirt followed shortly. Half sticking to him through partly dried sweat.

"Naruto what are those?" Kakashi asked examining the blonds back. On his back were five diamonds. They were small roughly the size of a thumbnail. But of an unmistakable purple color. The position as well. They aligned roughly where the eight inner gates were. Minus the two in the head and the Final gate.

"I don't know!" Naruto shouted flailing his arms. "I got the first one on my forehead and then those ones just started appearing!" Naruto said removing his head-band for the first time. "Do you know what they are?" He looked at Sasuke and Kurama. Sasuke looked confused. Kurama was confused and Surprised.

"No fucking way." Kurama muttered. Her mind began putting things together. A single thought came through and sunk into the base of her stomach. Sakura.

"Naruto. These are the Strength of Hundred seal that Lady Mito first created. It requires incredible chakra control." Kakashi's explanation left much wanting. Like how they were on Naruto in the first place. "They're something like a super chakra battery and require perfect Chakra control to form. Only Mito and Tsunade had ever managed to pull it off. And only one. And yet you have six. Six that you didn't even try to make." There was the possibility that it was the kyuubi trying to escape. But the Strength of Hundred seal didn't release chakra it created a feed into the User's own chakra.

"When do I get something cool?" Sasuke asked feeling more than slightly jealous. Seriously why and where was Naruto getting all this stuff.

"You have the Sharingan." Kurama spat at Sasuke. "I don't have anything cool." She blinked once. That was like an insult. "Wait never mind. I am cool." Pride saved.

"Hey if you guys want the kyuubi inside of you be my guest." Naruto offered poking his stomach. Sasuke turned away and Kurama simply smiled at Naruto.

She vaguely thought about Naruto being inside of her for a moment. And then that thought made her go red. She recalled one of the many lectures of Human sex ed her mother had taught her. "The penis goes inside of you." Kurama quickly shot the thought away. But the blush remained as she looked at Naruto.

Why was her heart going bababuthump?

"Naruto. I'm going to have to seal this. It's going to be difficult to use chakra for a while. But it will stop the curse seal from activating. And believe me you don't want that." Kakashi said sighing. "Oh and this will hurt." And with that Kakashi vanished with Naruto in toe. Leaving Kurama and Sasuke alone.

"So what now… Hey are you blushing?" Sasuke asked teasingly.

"What no shut the fuck up or I'll rip out your eye and shove it up your ass so you can see who's kissing your ass." Kurama sputtered out. Cursing had become a defensive mechanism. Well it actually became an everything mechanism.

"Oh my god." Sasuke said with a smile. "Kurama you like Naruto don't you."

And that's how Sasuke got a fat lip.

XXXX

"Lion's barrage!" The body of the purple wearing leaf ninja bounced off of the ground with a thud. And then laid motionless.

Sasuke smirked his Sharingan eyes looking at Rock Lee as he offered a small nod towards the boy. He did just steal a bit of Lee's style after all.

"Winner Sasuke Uchiha!" Genma said in an almost bored tone. Sasuke joined his teammates on the observation platform.

"That was one sided" Kurama offered with a smile. "I think the shiner I gave you hurt more than anything he did to you." Sasuke simply shrugged and took it for the compliment that it was.

"You did well, Sasuke." Kakashi said patting the boy on the head. Sasuke was slowly getting used to his team touching him. They were very touchy.

"Yea great job." Mumbled Naruto from his sitting position against the wall. He'd been lethargic ever since Kakashi had put the seal on him. It was like he was in a constant state of having just woken up.

Sasuke hated the fact that he liked his teammates. He hated the fact that he wasn't used to being alone anymore.

"Thanks, loser."

XXXX

"I don't stand a chance do I?" Ino asked looking at Kurama with a sad smile on her face.

"Not with that attitude." Kurama spat back. "But I'll tell you what. You can hit me with anyone jutsu for free. Then I'll kick your blond butt." That predatory grin on Kurama's face should have been more than enough warning not to try anything.

Ino's father never told her what happened when he tried to enter Kurama's mind.

Ino smiled. "Fine. But you're going to regret this." Ino ignored the smile on Kurama's face as it grew wider. "Mind transfer jutsu."

The results were the same as before. A brief delay as Ino's soul moved through the air. Then a brief delay as Ino's soul returned to her body. Then a sudden impact sent Ino flying backwards. Out cold.

"Winner Sakrua Haruno." Genma said after ino didn't move for a while. A growl was heard from Kurama's stomach before she too passed out. XXXX

"Hey." Kurama kicked Naruto in the side. "It's your turn dickweed." She was swearing. She was concerned about him. "I don't care what the one eyed meat back did you get out there and win!" Kurama picked up Naruto by his collar and hurled him onto the arena floor.

"Did you have to be so rough?" Shikamaru asked looking over the railing at Naruto. "I think you might have actually knocked him out."

"Pfft yea right he's tougher than that." Kurama huffed crossing her arms over her chest. Naruto didn't move for a second. "Naruto I swear to fucking god if you don't start fucking moving right now I'm going to shove Sasuke's dick up your ass!" The entire room went silent. Sasuke made sure that Kakashi was between him and Kurama at that moment. "He may or may not be attached to it."

"I'm up I'm up ya psycho!" Naruto shouted springing to his feet. Whatever tiredness was in his system before hand had been thrown out by Kurama or her threat worked as good motivation. "After what kakashi sensei did with that thousand years of pain jutsu my ass is a one way street." Naruto thought pulling himself up off the ground.

"Man your girlfriend is scary." Kiba said with a half cock'd smile. Kurama began shouting but was quickly silenced by Kakashi slapping his hand over her mouth. "See what I mean?"

"Yea she kinda is." Naruto said looking at Kurama struggle in Kakashi's hands. He saw her face grow red. He didn't deny that she was his girlfriend. He vaguely wondered who would attend his funeral.

"Oww she bit me!"

"Begin!"

Kiba wasted no time. He charged Naruto his body spinning as he leapt into the air.

"Fang over fang!" Turning into a drill of claws kiba span towards Naruto.

"Alright lady." Naruto thought thinking of the pink haired woman that woke him up. "Kyuubi, whatever the hell you are. Show me what you can do!" The thoughts reached something. And the Strength of hundred seal on his forehead activated.

"Remember don't use any wood jutsu unless you need to." Kakashi's words echoed in his head. Fortunately Naruto wasn't a one trick pony.

"Shadow clone jutsu!" Two dozen Naruto's poofed into existence. One formed to close to the spinning drill of Kiba and was instantly destroyed. The solid Naruto did something stupid. It was what he specialized in.

"You're going down Kiba!" Naruto launched himself at the spinning drill. Catching the attack head on with an open chest. At the point of impact he closed his arms. Catching the drill as it continued to push him backwards. His hands were getting cut and his clothing was being shredded by the spinning.

"Twin fang attack!"

A second drill came from behind, Ambushing several clones as it skidded along the ground towards Naruto. It nailed him in the back.

"This is over." Kurenai said as Naruto fell to the ground. Leaving a standing kiba and Akamaru. They looked proud for somebody surrounded by the enemy. "Wait, why aren't the clones vanishing?"

"Naruto's tougher than you think. Kurenai." Kakashi said smiling. "He's been training just as hard as Sasuke and Kurama. And he's discovered a few unique things about himself." Kakashi was reminded once again that it was fun to tease his fellow jonin.

"You don't mean." Kurenai paused as she looked around at the genin who were watching as Naruto stood up proudly. His clones distracting Kiba and Akamaru brilliantly. "He unlocked a Kekkai genkai." She stressed the word. Knowing that kakashi would get the hint.

"Actually yes, that's exactly it." Kakashi said with a smile. Kurenai blinked. Was Kakashi being honest? No but he sounded honest.

"What kind of Kekkai genkai allows somebody to stand up from an attack like that?" Shikamaru asked curiosity getting the better of his lazy nature. It sucked being a know it all sometimes.

"Well you see, Naruto is an Uzumaki." The room blinked at him. Kakashi simply pointed to Naruto as a thick green chakra began to cover and quickly heal up the wounds Kiba had made. They were healing quickly. Exposed organ's snapped back into place, torn muscles reattached themselves. Skin mended itself.

"The Uzumaki clan was well known for being hard to kill. They were resilient, rowdy bunch. And many of them had some kind of way of healing. Themselves or others Thanks to their large life force." Kakashi explained as the group watched Naruto stand up fully healed. "Naruto's just so happens to be the most powerful ever recorded."

"No way that guy?" Shikamaru asked animated as he grabbed the rail quickly. He stared at Naruto intently. Kiba and Akamaru had just finished with Naruto's shadow clones. Shikamaru felt sorry for Kiba as another twenty four Naruto's appeared. "Man what a drag. Why does your team have to be so troublesome?"

"You should see them work together." Kakashi offered. Not many genin teams could hold off a Sannin like these three had. Even if he was toying with them.

"No thanks." Shikamaru said lolling his head back as he watched kiba fight off more shadow clones. Those clones were just too much when used by someone like Naruto.

"Are there any other Uzumaki?" Sasuke asked.

"Sadly no, most of them were wiped out during the second ninja war." Kakashi said. "But they live on through Naruto."

Orochimaru had been resisting the urge to start screaming and swearing. He wasted his mark on an Uzumaki? And apparently he was the damn demon brat as well. How on earth did he miss that? It would take months to prepare another seal even with that woman. Such an absolute waste. He was so looking forward to experimenting with wood jutsu as well. It might simply be easier to kill the brat.

"Naruto Uzumaki is the winner!" Genma said holding back a cough.

"Way to go Naruto!" Kurama shouted. Loudly. Naruto smiled at her tiredly. Then he began snoring while standing. The seal Kakashi had placed on him was working overtime to keep the Curse seal in check now. And it was really draining on Naruto.

XXXX

Kakashi sighed. What was that the fifteenth time in an hour? He was going to be late. Late for him anyways. He even had a good excuse this time. He was trying to figure out how to train them. He had hoped that only two would make it through to the Final round. But no the tenacious bastards had to all pass into the third round.

And he doubted he could get any of them to withdraw. It would make his job so much easier.

Not being able to train all three was only part of the problem. He didn't know which one to train for the month before the third round.

Sasuke, was paired up against Neji, a hyuuga and every bit Sasuke's equal when it comes to raw skill in battle. A hyuuga uchiha match up hasn't occurred in the history of the chunin exams. An old clan rivalry finally put to rest it seems. Sasuke was going to need training in the sharingan if he was to beat Neji.

Naruto had gotten paired against Kankuro, The oldest of the Sand siblings and son of the current Kazekage. He appeared to be a prodigy when it came to puppets. Naruto was better off being trained by Tenzo whenever he got back. But the hokage simply shrugged and said "Soon". Naruto could likely beat Kankuro on his own, but any ninja from the sand village was a dangerous foe. And he wanted to keep an eye on the Curse seal. Though it was strangely docile.

Sakura, or Kurama. Kakashi vaguely wondered if she would allow him to call her that now. It was just awkward having somebody called two different names in the team. But Sakura, probably had the worst match up. Gaara of the sand was her opponent. The same boy that had crippled Rock Lee somebody that was Kurama's superior when it came to Taijutsu. If she wanted to win she would have to swallow her pride and learn an actual jutsu. Maybe if she had lightning affinity he could teach her Chidori. She was fast enough for it. But lacked the Sharingan.

"You're late!" Kakashi wasn't sure which one of them shouted that. Probably all of them.

"So first off congratulations on proceeding to the third round. I knew you guys could do it!" Kakashi said happily. His cute and terrifying little genin all spoke themselves up for a moment. "That said, this will be our last team training session until after the chunin exams. Two of your will be given new sensei's while I train one of you privately." And here comes the protests.

"What why can't you train us all?" Naruto.

"Finally admitting that you're a shit teacher?" Kurama

"Is this incase we fight one another?" Sasuke.

"Naruto I can't train you all partly because of what Sasuke said, but partly because if I were to teach you something it would be rather hands on. And I wouldn't be able to teach the other two the same thing. It's time for you guys to start specializing." Kakashi sighed… that was sixteen? "And do you really think I'm a bad teacher Kurama?"

Kurama glared at him. "Nah you're fine." She made no comment about the name. "So which one of us are you going to train. Do we get to beat the shit out of each other and the winner gets to claim your infinite wisdom?" Nobody was entirely certain how much of that was serious. Including Kurama herself.

"Actually. I've more or less decided. Sasuke, Kurama." Kakashi said pulling out two small slips of paper. "I want you two to channel your chakra into these."

"Why don't I get one?" Naruto asked huffing. He didn't like being left out of anything.

"They're chakra paper they tell us what element you have the strongest affinity with." Kakashi said handing Kurama and Sasuke the paper. He could feel that Naruto was about to ask another question

"And why don't I get to do it?" Naruto seemed rather offended that he wasn't going to find something out about himself.

"You're Earth and Water Naruto. Those are the two elements needed for wood style." Kakashi patted the boy's head. "So there's no real need. And we should have a well suited trainer coming to Konoha for you shortly." He had attended for that to make Naruto feel better. He failed.

"So I wasn't even on the list was I?" Naruto huffed.

"If you match chunin I'll make it up to you by teaching you a technique of the fourth hokage." That made Naruto's day. Probably his whole week.

Sasuke's paper crinkled around his finger tips. Before burning along the creases.

"Impressive a dual Nature of Fire and Lightning. I myself have a lightning affinity." commented kakashi. "Alright Kurama, let's see if we can get three for three in dual nature." Kurama shrugged.

She already knew what her chakra was. The pink haired girl Sakura, had an earth affinity. Or so she told him when they spoke in the previous timeline. Kurama was not looking forward to it. Earth just felt so boring. So not exciting. Even water was cooler.

And then. Much to her Delight. The paper didn't turn to dust. It burned. Bright. And then crumbled to ash. The whole team blinked. The light it had given off had burned their eyes temporarily.

"I got fire." Kurama said with a wide smile. "I got fire!" She yelled punching into the air.

"An impressively strong affinity for fire as well." Kakashi blinked his eye a few more times as it watered. "I know the perfect teacher for you." Kakashi said smiling.

"So that means you'll be training me?" Sasuke assumed an amused smile on his face.

"It appears so." Kakashi said standing up right. "For today we'll be going over your potential opponents and analyze their styles as a team." He stressed that word. He always stressed that word. "Three heads are better than one after all."

"Hey Sasuke." Naruto called after training. He was more or less dragging Kurama by the arm she didn't seem too pleased by it. "Kurama wants to ask you something." Naruto practically shoved Kurama forward.

"What why I do I have to?" Kurama shouted frantically as she glared at her two teammates.

"Because your parents want you to. It's our last meeting for a month Do it now." Naruto said taking a firm stance. Kurama huffed and looked away. Naruto groaned.

"One of you spit it out or I'm leaving." Sasuke said flatly. Kurama said nothing. Even as Naruto poked her with his elbow. "Well see you guys in the finals."

"Fine!" Naruto shouted. "Kurama's parents have been wanting to invite you over for our weekly family meal for a while. But Kurama-chan either forgets or doesn't want to do it." Kurama snorted looking away. She only forgot like half the time.

Sasuke blinked. A family dinner. He hadn't had one of those since. The images of his dead parents flashed through his mind. The death of his clan. The betrayal of his brother. They still stung. They were still the fuel that pushed him forward. He would still do whatever it takes to kill itachi.

So why was it that he so desperately wanted to say yes?

"Sure"

In the end Sasuke and Naruto both promised to return after the chunin exams. It was a pleasant dinner. To both boys it felt good to have a family.

XXXX

"Who the fuck are you?" Kurama glared at the plain looking man in Standard shinobi gear. He wore a bandana with the leaf symbol on it and dark sunglasses. She had been told to meet her would be instructor at the hot springs by kakashi. She was almost enjoying the scenery. If only some perverted old man would stop giggling.

"I see Kakashi hasn't taught you any manners, I am Ebisu." The man introduced himself pushing up his glasses. "Though for the next month you will call me sensei."

"Well then Sensei." She wasn't going to hold back the sarcasm. These guy looked funny and she doubted he would be able to do anything useful. "What can you do and what are you going to teach me?"

"I'll ignore that tone." Ebisu said once again readjusting his glasses. "It just so happens that I am one of the best instructors in all of Konoha. Under my tutelage you will make it to jounin in no time." Ebisu's smile was pure narcissism. "Now as I understand you have a powerful affinity for fire? And a refusal to learn new jutsu insisting on being a taijutsu specialist." He didn't hide his small disapproval.

"Yep that pretty much sums it up." She had spent a few hours trying to create fire with just pure chakra. It was trickier than she remembered. "Burns the fingers though." Kurama said holding up her bandaged finger tips.

"Impressive." Ebisu said grabbing her hand. "You were able to burn yourself?" Kurama nodded. "With just your chakra?" Another nod. "Simply amazing. You're already several steps ahead of where you should be. Though Kakashi did say you have unparalleled chakra control" Finally he released his hands.

"So what are you going to teach me?" Kurama asked. Doubting this human was going to teach her anything useful.

"I just so happen to be one of the best Fire style ninja in Konoha." Ebisu said with a giant smile. It reeked of self importance. "I'm going to teach you." Ebisu made a single hand sign one one hand and held out his other. "How to play with fire and not get burned."

Kurama smiled as she saw the fire surround his hand. She could feel its heat. And it wasn't burning him.

"When do we begin. Ebisu-sensei." The two smiled at each other. This was going to be a good student master relationship.

"Right away." Ebisu said shoving Kurama into the steaming hot pools of the hot spring.

"What the hell." Kurama shouted as she sputtered to the surface.

"The first step is hot water. You need to make your whole body not feel the heat. After that we move to boiling water. Then we start with wood fires. You're going to have to make progress in impossible leaps and bounds in order to reach the target of four thousand degrees, or else you will lose."

"How?" Kurama asked. Making herself fireproof was something she never really needed being made of chakra.

"First start by expelling the heat you're feeling from the hot spring inwards then…"

XXXX Naruto had a day off more or less. To him it had been a day alone. According to Kakashi his instructor wasn't in town yet. And to not to worry about it for a few days. And then He and Sasuke just left. Bastards. And Kurama was doing god knows what with her own instructor. It probably involved fire.

And so Naruto decided to do something he never would have considered normally. Taking a nap. There wasn't much he could do right now anyways. He found a nice big tree on a nice looking hill and.

The tree roots wrapped around his ankles. And pulled him. Through the forest. Was nature rising against him? Was he doing this? Where was he going? His jacket got peeled off along the way. His screams fell on deaf ears as he was dragged further and further into the forest.

He tried to scrap at the roots as they were dragging him. They were too strong. He reached for a kunai. It bounced out of his hand and the remainder of his ninja tools spilled out behind him.

He was never going to take a nap again.

The roots made a sudden turn slamming him into a nearby tree. He caught himself barely. But another sudden jerk caused him to slam hard into another tree. A large thick oak. He tried to get his bearings straight. Where was he going? Then he saw it. Training ground forty four.

The vines whipped him above the fence before slamming him into the ground. The roots turned into vines as they flung him up into the trees. Quickly he arrived at the spot where he had fought orochimaru with his team.

A tall plain faced man stood inspecting Naruto's handy work.

"Quite impressive" The man said as Naruto tried to catch his breath. "It's very natural looking even without trying. If I don't try to make it look alive I get blocky wood." He touched the still burning spear. Days later and it was still smoking.

"On top of that it's quite resilient. It wasn't to live. Mine tend to die in a couple weeks unless I'm careful and take my time." The man turned to face Naruto a Konoha plate on his face guard. "I was a bit suspicious when the Hokage told me that there was another that could use Wood release, and a Natural one at that."

"Who are you?" Naruto spat out. Coughing up a bit of blood. One of those trees hit him a little to hard. Or did he hit the tree?

"Hmm. You can call me Sensei. I will be helping you master your Wood style." His sensei said walking up to him offering an out stretched hand. "But if you must know my name, Kakashi-senpai calls me Tenzo."

"You couldn't find a better way to bring me here?" Naruto asked taking the hand as he was roughly pulled to his feet.

"Senpai told me that you can't use the Wood release all the time and that it only happens in the heat of battle. That was an attempt to unlock it. I see it failed. This will be our first hurdle." Tenzo said with a blank half-smile.

"Yea it normally happens when people important to me are in trouble." Naruto said flatly. "I can more or less bring out my green healing chakra when I want, but I can't do the Wood style not even a little bit."

"Are you so self also in danger when you can use it?" Naruto nodded in confirmation. "Then perhaps it has something to do with the kyuubi." Tenzo stated.

"What do you mean?" Naruto wasn't really shocked that the man knew of the kyuubi. He certainly didn't seem to hate him for it.

"Well the First Hokage was able to use Wood style jutsu to control and sub-due the kyuubi." Tenzo was stroking his chin at the point deep in thought. "Perhaps the Fourth Hokage, was able to integrate it into the seal that any of the kyuubi's chakra leaking would cause Wood style jutsu to activate incase you needed to control it." Tenzo thought for a moment then shrugged. "I'm no Fuinjutsu master so I can't really tell." That was the first time Tenzo had smiled at Naruto.

"Well if you have any idea about how get me to use it whenever Tenzo-sensei I'm all ears!" Naruto smiled brightly at the man.

"Run." Tenzo said as his face became one of sheer terror. Naruto did run. Battered bruised and alone into the forest of death.

XXXX

"Perhaps." Tenzo said examining the small little sprout that Naruto had created. "More desperate measures are required?" It had been two weeks. Two weeks of attempting to survive both the forest and Tenzo.

"Are you trying to kill me?" Naruto asked out of breath. He had just out ran a tiger or something. It was to big to be a tiger. What was with these giant animals? And why did most of them think of him as a meal. He could probably count the number of hours he'd slept on one hand since Tenzo started training him.

"Key word is try Naruto." Tenzo said with a chuckle. "How badly do you want to master this?" Naruto wasn't used to being around somebody these serious. He didn't really count Sasuke.

"I'll do anything." Naruto confirmed after a moment. This was his power. He wanted to learn how to use it. It didn't matter if it was because of that pink haired woman, the fourth hokage, or if he was somehow related to the first hokage. He could and he would learn Wood style.

"Don't hate me if you die." Tenzo said scooping Naruto up and holding him over his shoulder.

"I already do hate you." Naruto said blankly allowing himself to be treated as a rag doll. He had never been so tired. He fell asleep as Tenzo carried him off somewhere.

Naruto was awoken he was in the middle of nowhere on some kind of road. Tenzo was helping him stand. His eyes were closed. "Tenzo sensei?" Naruto asked.

Tenzo opened his eyes suddenly. "Learn or Die." And suddenly Naruto found himself being flung into a deep ravine.

"Are you fuckng crazy!" Naruto shouted as he became aware of what was going to happen. He was going to go splat. Or be impaled. Likely some combination of the two.

"Uh uh.. Wood style! Save me tree!" Naruto shouted going through the hand-signs Tenzo had taught him. Nothing. He did again. And again and again. Nothing.

"I don't want to die!" Naruto shouted as he saw the ground quickly approaching. Or what he thought was the ground. It was just too dark to see clearly.

Then suddenly Naruto slammed hard onto the cold wet ground of something. He stood up. Grumbling about hard landings.

"How did I end up here?" His body didn't really hurt. He walked down the hallway filled with pipes and ankle deep water. His path lead him to a giant cage. A piece of paper with the word "Seal" on it held the two massive doors in check.

"Well well well. It's about time you paid me a visit." Came a voice from the cage. It was deep and bellowed like the mountains. Naruto looked at the cage. Suddenly a large pair of green eyes opened slitted and staring at him intently.

"You're the kyuubi aren't you?" Naruto pointed a finger at the beast.

"Well more or less. And I have a name you know." The "Kyuubi" Said rolling it's eyes. It stepped forward again. Naruto was expecting red fur or something. But the kyuubi was pink. It was a giant pink fox. Somehow that made him feel less bad ass. A giant pink fox just wasn't manly.

"Well what's your name then?" Naruto asked tapping his foot.

"Oh you already know it, but tell me Naruto how's the outside world. How's your mother?" Kyuubi asked Naruto could see it's smile.

"You know who my mother is?" Naruto asked hopeful that somebody would be able to tell him something about himself even if it was the damn monster that likely killed them.

"You mean you don't?" The kyuubi seemed shocked by this.

"The old man said she probably died the night you attacked, but he doesn't know who she was. You killed a lot of people that night!" Naruto tightened his fists in rage.

"What no!" The kyuubi bashed its head against the cage. Legitimate sadness in it's eyes. "I healed her dammit! I made sure she didn't die this time! Dammit dammit dammit. Even after all this I'm still a fuck up." The beast kept ramming its into the cage. Naruto saw massive tears falling from the beasts eyes.

The kyuubi was crying. The kyuubi was playing a trick on him.

"You're not going to full me! I'm not letting you out just because you're crying." Naruto declared loudly. "Now give me chakra so that I can use wood style." Naruto demanded.

"Heh." The kyuubi said rubbing it's head against the cage. Then a massive cloud of pink smoke billowed out from the cage shocking Naruto. "That's really no way to talk to somebody like me Naruto-kun." This voice. It was the voice of the pink haired woman.

He watched as she slowly passed through the thick bars of the cage. She looked human. The exception being that she had two long pink fluffy ears jutting from the top of her head. And a single bushy tail that swayed with her hips. She looked to be in her mid twenties with long pink hair the flowed down her back and then there were her brilliant green eyes. The same green eyes that Kurama had.

"My name Is Sakura Uzumaki." She said proudly reaching him. "Though that wasn't my birth name, or even my second name. You might know me as Sakura Haruno. I believe I'm still your teammate. This time around." Sakura looked at Naruto for a moment a small smile on her face. She gently touched his face with her hand, brushing his birthmarks in just the right way.

"Kurama-chan?" Naruto asked confused. "You're Kurama-chan?" Sakura blinked at him.

"Oh no no. You see your Kurama-chan. Is actually the spirit of the Kyuubi that got sent back in time with me. Don't worry though Kurama is good friends with you… in the future." Sakura brought her hand up to her chin. Tapping it to an imaginary beat. It was then that she noticed that she had ears and a tale. "Dammit I these things keep showing up." Sakura cursed as her body began to morph itself.

"What do you mean, Kurama is the kyuubi?" Naruto asked feeling like his world was being shaken. "You know my mother and tried to save her?"

"I suppose I do owe you a bit of explanation Naruto-kun." Sakura's body finished morphing. She was now his age. With long pink hair with no ears or tail. She looked just like Kurama but with less scars, less muscle, and less fire in her hair.

"You see me and Kurama went back in time after we were attacked on your deathbed." Sakura explained grabbing Naruto's hand oh so tenderly. She dragged him towards a door. Had that door always been there? They entered the door. And Naruto found himself in the living room he had dreamed about when Orochimaru had put the seal on him. It was empty except for him and Sakura.

"Kurama was more or less useless at trying to navigate the timeline." Sakura said dragging Naruto over to the couch and sitting him down. She began to crawl on top of him. Getting really close. Naruto found that he rather liked the feeling.

"Wait should I be concerned that I'm currently falling to my death?" Naruto suddenly asked.

"Dammit right!" Sakura cursed. "Okay let's see. You're trying to learn how to summon toads and need my… kyuubi's chakra right?"

"No I'm trying to learn how to use wood style jutsu. Why would I want to summon a toad?" Naruto couldn't help but ask.

"Right well I have no idea how that works I was kind of messing with your chakra for a while. Let's see if this works!" Sakura shouted poking Naruto in the head, heart and stomach. "I've unlocked three more of the Strength of one hundred seals I've been placing on your body, that might do it!"

"Alright thanks. I'll come back and you can finish telling me what's going on!" Naruto shouted. "Wait how do I" He was cut off as Sakura pressed her lips to his. It was short. Rushed. But god damn did it feel good.

"For luck." Sakura said with a smile. "And this is the exit." She pushed him and he started falling backwards.

And now he was falling forwards. Face getting closer and closer to the ground.

"Wood style: Great Sakura tree Jutsu!"

Vines burst from the rocks catching on to him. The vines quickly began to form together from the sides and the bottom turning and twisting into a massively thick trunk. Branches of pink leaves began to sprout as the core grew larger.

Naruto rode upwards on a fluffy bed of pink leaves. His tree growing larger and larger, tearing apart the rocky side of the ravine and it's bottom. He was nearing the top! A massive root sent dirt and rubble flying as it broke the surface. He could feel that it was seeking water.

Tenzo was right. His Wood style was very natural. It wanted to survive. It had the will to survive.

Naruto could feel the pull against his chakra. It was significant. More than a thousand clones. And still the tree drained his chakra growing upwards and upwards. It was above the ravine now. And continuing upwards.

The branches began to stretch outwards, fanning out like any real tree would, like a cat stretching in the sun it spread out. Above the treeline Naruto couldn't help but smile in glee as he saw what he had done. Massive roots dug through the ground up rooting lesser trees, destroying rocks.

He had just changed the landscape with a single jutsu.

The tree was slowing now. He was higher than the hokage mountain. Most of the growth was for the massive branches, some thicker than the roads in Konoha. They covered the land below in a soft shadow as brilliant pink flowers began to sprout from the branches.

Naruto laid down on his soft pink petal bed. He didn't want to move right now. Tenzo would be able to find him soon enough anyways. And with that thought he was asleep.

"Well… so much for keeping it a secret." Tenzo said laughing to himself. "I wonder if Hokage-sama will notice?" He thought as he began jumping up the tree to find Naruto.

XXXX

Kurama was growling. Her reserves were pitiful. She was trying to get her chakra past the thousand degree mark. While being in the eight or nine hundred degree mark was impressive. It wasn't enough. Fortunately for her. Fire was closely tied with Anger, passion, she could use her emotions as fuel for her flames.

"Dammit!" Kurama shouted punching at the boulder in front of her. A stream of fire erupted from her fist. Covering the boulder in flame. Then it quickly vanished revealing the boulder glowing a warm shade of red before it slowly cooled.

"That's enough for today Sakura." Ebisu said from the sideline. "You're nearing your limit. And I believe I was mistaken when I said we needed to reach four thousand degrees." Ebisu admitted for the third time that day. "Even at nine hundred degrees you'll be cooking the poor boy inside his sand."

"I'm not done yet" Kurama said proudly. And then suddenly they felt the earth shake. And Kurama felt like she was punched in the stomach and fell over.

She was standing in front of the entity again. It was waving both hands at her. A small mouth forming a smile floated aimlessly above the hands.

"Hey I have a mouth now!" The entity said happily.

"Alright now what the fuck do you want. I hope it's good because I don't want to have to wait for you to grow a brain." Kurama growled in annoyance.

"If you don't need a brain to talk, why would I?"

"Oi." Kurama spat. But she smiled she liked this thing. "So what are you, and what do you want?"

"I don't really know what I am." It admitted. It's voice sounded like a girls though. "I've always been here though. And then you came. And you were going to destroy here. So I stopped you from doing that. I've been holding most of you back actually. But now I think that I don't need to. It won't destroy here."

"Oh I get it. You're the original soul of this body." The hands shrugged and the mouth frowned. "Yea sorry about keeping you prisoner like that. I would never do that to anybody if I could help it." Kurama hated being trapped. But she understood why. "But what power are you holding back?"

"You came with a lot of it. It was a part of your spirit but there was so much of it." Kurama's eyes widened.

"Of course my spiritual chakra came with me! Haha this is great!" Kurama couldn't help but jump for joy. "But what is it that you want?"

"I want to be able to see what's outside where you are. That's why I want to fuse. Because I know you won't let me control your body. Even if it was mine. It's now more yours." The spirit said sadly.

Kurama frowned. The soul before her was weak and incomplete. Any personality it had would be absorbed into Kurama. She'd be killing the soul. And then Kurama remembered something. One of the jutsu in the scroll of sealing.

"I have a better idea." Kurama said with a wide smile. "One that will let you be you and still see the outside world. After being explained what would happen the soul smiled back at Kurama.

"That sounds fantastic! Alright I'm going to give you your power now!" Kurama felt it. There was no doubt about it. This was her spiritual chakra. Not all of it. But enough of it.

"Hell yea!" Kurama shouted in the real world Punching out a jet of flame towards the boulder. The stream of fire held for a moment much longer than any previous attempts for she cut it off.

The top portion of the boulder was nothing more than molten rock as it calmly dripped down onto the ground.

"What the hell!" Ebisu shouted. "How did you do that?"

"It just clicked." Kurama said smiling. "Now why don't you help me with something else."

 **AN: Well here's this. A bit of info dump. A bit of info teasing. If you figured out that Sakura was the kyuubi sealed inside of Naruto congrats!**

 **I got like one complaint about my skipping around. I just don't want to waste time writing stuff I don't want to write in this fic. I'm trying to get to third stage and the Chunin exams asap so that I can really start diverging from canon. Once we get there there will be less jarring transitions in time.**

 **Anyways. Next update will be for Naruto is Not a Teddy Bear.**

 **This fic actually gave me a good idea for another fic. So the next chapter of this might be delayed if I like that idea a lot.**

 **Anyways. Next update we'll get to some really fun stuff :D The secret of what happened the night of Naruto's birth. Kurama asking her parents about more puberty stuff. And we get to see Kurama vs Shukaku. Wait… what happened to Jiraiya? When's he going to enter this story?**

 **Surely nothing will go wrong right :D?**


	4. Fucking demons Beating hyuugas

Naruto once again found himself being led through a door by the Kyuubi. No that wasn't quite right. This was Sakura Haruno Uzumaki. His wife from the future. Who was somehow sealed inside of him. And apparently Kurama was the real name of the kyuubi and the Kurama-chan he has had a crush on for as long as he could remember was actually the kyuubi from the future where he married this Sakura.

The only thing that was keeping Naruto's mind from exploding was Sakura's butt. She was only slightly older than him at the moment, a good few inches taller than him as well. She had a nice butt. It was fun to stare at. She also had a pair of fluffy pink fox ears sticking out of her head.

And a long bushy fox tail that kept brushing against him as she dragged him to the dream futon again. He rather liked the tail. It was funner to watch than her butt. Best of all they were close enough that he could watch both at the same time.

"You always were an ass man." Sakura smirked as she playfully shoved him down onto the futon. She was straddling him again. Was this her first time straddling him? It seemed familiar. She was younger again. His age probably. She looked so much like Kurama. Just with beautiful pink hair. Oh and the fox ears.

"When me and Kurama came back in time" She began slowly. She kissed his neck, sucking on it hard before biting it roughly. Naruto gasped in a mixture of pain and pleasure. Why was she doing this? Wasn't she suppose to be explaining his whole life to him?

"I made a rather greedy choice." She was looking at his neck examining her handy work. Naruto vaguely wondered if the hickey would pass into the real world. He guessed that this Sakura might be able to make that happen.

She stared him in the eyes. They were the purest green he'd ever seen. And filled with such a deep love for him he could get lost in them. But deeper still than the love was the regret. She saw the recognition in his eyes.

Their lips met. A forceful moment. He was her escape. He could feel it in the hunger of her kiss. Sakura sucked on his lip, then bit it. He could bleed in here it seems as he tasted his own blood. The pain didn't bother him as she continued to explore him and express herself.

"You I wanted to to change everything." She said inbetween kisses. They were getting wet and sloppy now. A heated battle for breath as their lips crashed into each other roughly. "So I switched places with Kurama. I forced him… it… her down my timeline. She couldn't have noticed with how she navigated the time stream. I doubt she could have found her own even if she tried."

She was taking off his shirt now. Where had his jacket gone? Oh right he didn't wear one today. He found his hands around her waist rubbing the small of her back. Why did her back feel so good to him? She was kissing him again.

"I wanted you to have you parents. What you lived through, with your childhood the first time. All alone." She was trailing off again her kisses were coming slower, there was none of the blazing passion she had shown earlier. They were coming in softer. Almost desperate for his tenderness.

"When I entered the Kurama's mind it was still sealed inside your mother. And Kurama's mind resisted me. I think most people would have been swallowed whole by the mind and soul of a demon." He could feel her smile against his lips. "But I'm a bit more stubborn than most people."

"For seven months I fought against a feral kurama, somebody I had called my friend. I fought for my very existence." She had stopped kissing him completely now. She simply held onto him resting her forehead into his neck. Hands clasping his shoulders roughly. "Then you were born."

"Your mother, Kushina Uzumaki was stubborn. Even having a biju extracted from her wouldn't be enough to kill her. It wasn't until Obito attempted to use the Sharingan to control the kyuubi was I able to take control over Kurama. Not completely but for long enough. I healed your mother. I made sure she was stable. She said I looked better as a pink fox. She had just given childbirth. She had just had the kyuubi extracted from her. But she was alive. I know she was."

She was sobbing now. Naruto could feel his shoulder becoming moist with her tears. She was shaking as she clung onto him desperately. How much regret did she have?

"I couldn't remain in control for very long. You look so much like your father you know. The fourth hokage. I told him to seal me quickly. And once again he gave his life to seal the kyuubi in his own son."

Naruto was quiet for a moment. Before hugging Sakura quickly surprising her.

"Thank you for trying Sakura-chan." Naruto's voice was so sciencere. Sure he was mad that his father had sealed the kyuubi inside of him. But that kyuubi was also Sakura. This kind caring spirit of his apparently future wife. "And it's not so bad, I have Kurama-chan, Mebuki and Kizashi as well. Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke and tenzo too I guess. And now I have you to. So I'm not alone. I have the family that I made."

"So you're not mad that I didn't save your mother?" Sakura asked. Her tears had stopped but she didn't want to let go of Naruto just yet. She was enjoying her apparent youth once again. It beat being intimate as eighty year olds.

"At Least I know who they were now. And besides once I become hokage the whole village will be my Family." Naruto said loudly and proudly. Sakura laughed as she pulled away from Naruto. Planting a soft kiss on his lips once again.

"I'm 113 years old Naruto." Sakura admit as a smile spread across her face. "And yet here you are showing me that I have so much more to learn." Sakura got up off of Naruto. He attempted to follow but she effortlessly pushed him back down onto the futon.

"Nuhuh." Sakura said wagging her finger at him. She changed in an instant becoming a woman, fully bloomed yet still in her prime. Naruto thought that she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

"Now time to explain somethings!" Sakura's fox tail wagged disturbing the lab coat she was wearing. Her glasses fell off of her face as she didn't have human ears to hold them up. She puffed at that ignoring her semi-ruined teacher outfit.

"Yes, Sakura-sensei!" Naruto chirped playing along.

"So when your father sealed the kyuubi I was able to hold onto most of it's physical chakra, while your father sealed it's Spiritual chakra inside of himself." Sakura made wild hand motions as she explained, not all of them made sense. "In addition to most of the kyuubi's physical chakra, all of my spiritual chakra was sealed inside of you as well. Which is how I'm here right now."

"Uhh so what does that mean?" Naruto asked confused.

"That's the fun part!" Sakura said excitedly. "You see for the past thirteen years I've been experimenting with your chakra. At first I was just straight up convert the physical chakra of the kyuubi into your chakra systems. However that proved ineffective. So I began to channel it through me into the Strength of Hundred seals located on your Inner gates." Sakura tapped Naruto on the diamond that was on his forehead.

"So these are the physical chakra of the Kyuubi?" Naruto asked growing more confused by the second.

"Yes and no, The chakra is 100% yours… okay maybe a little bit is mine, I can active them as I see fit." Sakura paused tapping her chin as she began to connect the dots. "In addition to the seals, I also used the physical chakra to increase your vitality, you know make you less likely to die." She snapped her fingers!

"That's it!" Sakura shouted grabbing onto Naruto's hands. She began jumping up and down. "That's why you can use the wood style jutsu! It doesn't require a bloodline, all it requires is an incredible amount of physical chakra and an intense vitality! Something both you and the first hokage have in common!" Sakura put her hands on her hips looking at Naruto like he was some project she was happy had worked. "Man I'm awesome! You're lucky I'm your wife."

Naruto blushed at Sakura still considering herself his wife. Didn't he technically die future. Isn't that how you get out of marriage. But Naruto was not going to ruin his chances of more Sakura kisses.

"As for my spiritual chakra, that only comes out when the seal allows it, so when your life's in danger or somebody you care about is about to die. I'd give it up more often but the seal you father placed greatly limited the amount of spiritual chakra that can pass through it. Likely to stop a more malicious kyuubi from influencing you." Sakura held up her hand and produced a thick green bulbous chakra that flowed off of her hand in thick chunks.

"In order for me to heal other people so I had to mix it with some of your physical chakra as well. It's fortunate I'm such a great medic too." Sakura's ego was beaming as she gave Naruto a thumbs up. "With me around you'll never die!"

"Thanks Sakura-chan!" Naruto said happily. Then an idea occurred to him. "With Tenzo teaching me how to use wood jutsu do you think you can teach me medic jutsu?" Naruto's half smile was one of uncertainty. "I want to protect and heal people too."

Sakura was not expecting that at all. "You want to be a medic?"

"Yea." Naruto confirmed with a brief shake of his head. "Can you train me?"

"I don't see why not, you could work around the control aspect by just turning it into a nature manipulation like karin does." Sakura began muttering to herself. "But until you meet Jiraiya to modify the seal I won't be able to teach you."

"What why?"

"Well I can only see you when you're about to die or something like that." Sakura said sheepishly. She was twelve again, trying to look as innocent as possible. "And in order to bring you here. I maybe kinda sort of caused you to have a heart attack." Sakura said flinching. "But you're totally fine now by the way!" She said defensively.

"Are you crazy!?" Naruto asked frantically grasping his heart. "You literally gave me a heart attack!?"

"I'm 113 years old Naruto!" Sakura shouted back at him. "I traveled back in time and mentally wrestled a four hundred year old demon for seven months, before being sealed inside my future husband for twelve years, which on whom I experimented on to the point that he can make trees sprout from his ass!"

She paused huffing for breath. Then a look came into her eyes. He was both incredibly afraid of that look. And oh so very intrigued by it.

"So you bet your sweet little ass that I'm crazy." She walked over to him. She was straddling him again. And he was once again helpless to her touch. "You know. I always did regret not being your first time, the first time around. Let's fix that."

She didn't wait for him to say yes.

XXXX

Kizashi was beginning to hate being a chunin there was just so much extra work compared to being a genin. As a genin all he had to do really was follow orders. Now he had to do some paper, go on longer more difficult missions, and more importantly. It was harder to request days off. Now both him and his wife were going to be working during the chunin exam.

A better more insightful ninja might have realized that being assigned as a guard to the commerce district was a sign that something was going on. But Kizashi's insightfulness was by far the shortest in his families, even shorter than his own boneheaded daughter.

Ahh yes his lovely daughter. She was a terrifying little creature that could probably kick his ass twelve ways to sunday. And none of those ways would be painless. She was why he was a chunin now. She pushed him to better himself. And now she was about to fight in the chunin exams.

Kizashi had no doubt that his frightening little Sakura would become a chunin. Assuming she didn't forget to eat. Again.

Walking up to his home Kizashi put on a strong smile. He was almost inside where he would find his lovely wife and.

A scream echoed from the upstairs bedroom. Sakura's room. Kizashi blinked. It was his turn to deal with Sakura's little breakdowns. She'd often forget how to human it seemed and would frequently need to be reminded about how to act or what she was feeling. Kizashi shivered at the reminder of his daughter's first period.

That was a fun morning.

Kizashi decided that he would take a walk around the neighborhood. If his daughter's problem lasted that long then he'd deal with it. Until then it was his wife's problem.

Mebuki growled. She had been enjoying a good book. Wait was she growling?

Her daughter was rubbing off on her.

Putting the book down Mebuki marched up to her daughter's room. She quietly scowled as the mess of her daughter's room was slowly spreading out into the rest of her otherwise quite lovely. House. Her daughter was corrupting her house.

Kicking the clothes out of the way, Mebuki knocked on the door.

"Sakura, honey, are you okay?" She asked gently. No worded response came from the other side of the door. Just another distressed groan. That was Sakura for. "Oh god I don't know how to human please come help your fucked up daughter try to be at least functionally normal."

Mebuki pushed the door open and entered the dark domain of the creature commonly known as Kurama. She thought she saw something in the corner. She saw her daughter, flaming pink hair scattered about her head as her face was buried in a pillow. A typical Sakura freak out pose.

"You worried about the chunin exams tomorrow?" Mebuki asked a redundant question. Her daughter was giddy with excitement over her fight tomorrow. But asking stupid questions was the quickest way to get to the real problem.

"Yea right!" Kurama shouted moving her head to look at her mother. She scooted over, permitting Mebuki a spot to sit. Her mother was quite smart, for a human. Maybe she could explain why she's feeling like this. "It's Naruto." Kurama admitted.

"Oh what's wrong with Naruto-kun?" Mebuki asked happily. She was honestly grateful for Naruto. "Did you ask him out and he reject you!" Mebuki teased.

That got a volatile reaction.

"What no!" Kurama shouted sitting up quickly. "How could you say that I don't like Naruto like that and he doesn't like me like that. He's just some goddamn prick that won't leave me alone!" Kurama shouted defensively. She really didn't like the knowing look mebuki was giving her.

"Oh really?" Mebuki said with an exaggerated huff. "Then what exactly is the problem with Naruto?" That was the question that broke the damn.

"He's a stubborn stupid idiot, that is acting all big and tough despite the fact that he got bitten by that snake fucking asshole and now he has some weird ass fucking seal on his neck that he says doesn't bother him. But it totally did. He also didn't even refuse Kiba when that dog fucker said that I was his girlfriend. Like what the fuck asshole. Don't go agreeing with shit that isn't fucking true. Especially when you won't even let me know what the fuck is bothering. I also haven't seen him all month. He basically disappeared, who ever kakashi found to train him finally showed up. And he didn't fucking even tell me. Especially when I wanted to ask the fucker what the hell he's been doing to me!"

"And how do you feel around Naruto?" Mebuki directed the conversation to it's inevitable end.

"I… What?" Kurama asked blinking at her mother. She hadn't even considered her own feelings about Naruto. Just how she was feeling. Not what she was feeling.

"When you're around Naruto what do you feel." Mebuki asked again. Kurama went silent for a moment.

"My face get's all warm and stuff." Kurama began slowly. "And It feels like I'm about to fight somebody. But it's different from that. I don't want to run away from a fight. I want to run away from that feeling though." Her hands were flying through animations quickly now as she attempted to explain them to both herself and her mother. "And whenever that fucker is close. And he's been getting really close. I keep getting weird thoughts about kissing him. It's completely fucking weird. I'm convinced that he's pulling some elaborate prank on me that sick twisted bastard."

"You like Naruto honey." Mebuki said flatly.

"Come again?" Kurama said her eyes closing dangerously. She heard her mother correctly. She hoped Mebuki wouldn't make the same mistake twice.

"You. Like. Naruto. More. Than. A. Friend." Mebuki happily spelled it out for her daughter. Honestly Naruto was about the only hope she had of getting any grandchildren out of Sakura.

"No… No I don't." Kurama said in a tone less certain than she normally spouted out. "How could you say that theres no way that I could. I'm… He's." Kurama's ancient mind was fluttering through all the possibilities. How could she. The ancient spirit of the Kyuubi was completely and utterly confused by the truth that it's human mother had laid before her. "How… why?" Kurama asked.

"Puberty mostly, and Naruto is a good boy I wager. It's only Natural." Mebuki said said smiling as she rubbed her daughter's back. "But I think it's best if you talk to Naruto after the tournament. I know he's liked you for a long time now."

"Sure." Kurama said a small smile on her face. "Thanks for the help mom." Kurama stood, and slowly walked out of her room.

Mebuki counted to ten. Her daughter was a walking timebomb. Slowly and cautiously she followed her daughter. She entered their small back yard. It had a single tree. She was vaguely aware of her husband entering the home as well.

"God." Flames appeared on Kurama's hands. "Fucking!" She held her hands high, the flames doubling in size as they combined with each other. "Dammit!" Her whole body ignited in righteous fury as she hurled a ball of fire at the poor tree her and Naruto had climbed in during her human childhood.

Kurama stood their, her casual clothes burnt off of her body as she watched the burning corpse of the tree. A prideful smile on her face.

"What happened?" Kizashi asked as he took his spot next to Mebuki.

"Our daughter found out she likes Naruto." Mebuki replied with a small smile.

"I hope he's a fast runner." Kizashi chuckled as he walked back into the house. Adding fireproof clothing to a thinks he'd need to get for his daughter.

XXXX

Sasuke found his bed to be a welcoming sight. Nearly a month of training and camping with Kakashi would do that. He was half surprised that He wasn't going to end up being late to the chunin exams. But then again Kakashi was never late without some reason.

He had spent a month, training and developing a strategy to fight against Neji Hyuuga. As strong as as feared as the Uchiha were, the Hyuuga were a natural counter to them. The hyuuga didn't rely on Jutsu that the Sharingan could copy. Their eyes made them more resilient to Genjutsu, especially those cast by eye contact. Not that Sasuke had any genjutsu in his arsenal.

Ranged ninjutsu were of various effectiveness on hyuuga as well. The best of the Hyuuga could use Rotation to deflect most ranged attacks. And Sasuke assumed that Neji was the best of the hyuuga. Rock Lee had said that he was stronger than himself after all. And that guy was fast.

That left Taijutsu. Sasuke's speciality to an extent, second only to Ninjutsu. And it was the Hyuuga's specialization. They rarely practiced outside of Taijutsu. And while they were limited and every hyuuga was exactly like the next. They were effective. But they were also predictable.

And if Sasuke had gained anything from being on a team with Naruto and Kurama it was how to be unpredictable.

For the fifth time that hour Sasuke eyed his secret weapon. It wouldn't be much of a secret when he entered the arena. A long katana with a strong black scabbard. His mother's from her anbu years Kakashi said. The Scabbard was hardened, nearly as hard as steel. According to Kakashi His mother had never unsheathed the sword. As testament to the redstring the bound the blade to its scabbard.

He had spent most of his time training to use the thing. To gain the extra reach needed to stay out of Neji's reach. And with what little Lightning manipulation he learned. Most lightning techniques aren't long ranged, Too unpredictable even with perfect chakra control. The lightning is sporadic and would like make a Beeline straight to the ground in most cases. But it was very useful for enhancing speed and strength. Kakashi had mentioned that the Raikage of Kumo often used similar and more powerful techniques.

However, such speed and power often led to the user moving faster than their eye could see. That's where Sasuke's Sharingan came in.

The byakugan verse the Sharingan. The eye that could see a person's fate verse the eye that could see the future.

Neji wouldn't know what hit him.

XXXX

Sasuke was the first of his team to arrive at the busy stadium. His team was actually the last to arrive. Something that earned him jeers from the proctors and other chunin.

Some days he hated being kakashi's student.

"Yo Sasuke!" Naruto called from behind. "What's with the sword?" Sasuke didn't shy away from Naruto's hand being placed on his shoulder. As much as it pained him to admit it. He did sort of miss his blond teammate.

"Kakashi trained me with it." That was all Sasuke was willing to say. Neji was within ear shot as well. "Apparently it's my mothers." Naruto smiled at that little admission.

"It's to keep me out of ranged." Neji said closing in on the pair. "An ineffective and simple minded tactic to fight against a hyuuga. It will not help you."

"I'll admit I am at a disadvantage. The hyuuga have always been a natural counter to the uchiha." Sasuke admitted before a smirk grew on his face. "But you've never fought an uchiha have you?" Neji's face was a permanent scowl.

"Your clan was nothing but a bunch of copycats." Neji offered as a retort. Sasuke's smirk only grew more confident.

"Coming from a clan whose every member fights exactly the same, that's rich!" Sasuke shot back.

"I was looking forward to fighting one of the uchiha elite." Neji spat. "But I guess you're not among them. Did you know the average age of Chunin for the uchiha is ten?" Sasuke only smiled at that. That was a good one. But he was on a team with Kurama. Her insults cut so much better.

"Ladies please." Naruto said attempting to diffuse the situation. "Save it for the arena floor."

"Very well. I look forward to beating you both." Neji said leaving the two teammates to talk to themselves. Though he still hung around the observation deck.

"So did you ever manage to get your sensei?" Sasuke asked, what he really meant was "Can you make trees? Or do the weird healing thing?"

"Yep." Naruto confirmed happily before his face fell. "And boy do I have some shit to tell you. And hey have you seen Kurama-chan?" Naruto asked looking around for his crush. Maybe? Finding out that she was actually an ancient demon spirit was a bit of a turn off.

"Yea." Sasuke said pointing his chin towards the door as Kurama walked in. Naruto turned to face her. His jaw dropped slightly.

Demon or not his crush was still strong. She didn't look any different to anybody but Naruto. Naruto saw that she had changed. In the most beautiful way possible. She was practically running towards them.

"You shit bags what's up!" Kurama said bounding over to her teammates. She noticed Sasuke's sword first and foremost. "Did you finally pull the stick outta your ass and now you're going to try to beat people to death with it."

"Something like that." Sasuke said with a smile. "How'd your training go Kurama?" Sasuke asked curious how his teammates matched up to him now.

"Hehe." Kurama giggled at the very thought of what she could do now. There was so much fire. It was directly tied to her spiritual chakra. While her own physical chakra was often spent on keeping her body from burning to a crisp. It was awesome being able to use Physical and spiritual chakra independently. "It went well. I can't wait to show you guys just what I can do now." She held out her hand producing a bright hot flame on it. The air sizzled around it.

"That's awesome Kurama-chan." Naruto said staring at the fire she made, slowly extending a hand out to touch it. He pulled away quickly as it grew to hot. The flame suddenly grew large before Kurama dismissed it.

The problem with spiritual chakra is that it was directly tied to one's emotions. And ever since Kurama had accepted her feelings for Naruto she had become very aware of how he made her feel. And now he was so close to her. She was half tempted to kiss him. You know for luck.

"Hey Naruto." Kurama said fidgeting with a blush. What was she Hinata? Shaking her head once she had her attention she regained some of her conviction. "After this is over I need to talk to you." She expected Naruto to smile at her, to ask and beg her for what it was about. Instead all she got was a curt nod.

"I need to talk to you too. Kurama-chan." Naruto's smile was there. But it was a small polite thing. As though he was uncertain about everything. Kurama frowned at that. Wondering what exactly was going through the blonds mind. She had been his friend for nearly a hundred years now and he was still a mystery.

For a moment Kurama missed being sealed inside Naruto. But that feeling was instantly squashed.

XXXX

The energy in the stadium was electric a record high turnout to watch two of the villages most promising genin beat the tar out of each other. Sasuke verse Neji. Uchiha verse Hyuuga. Old rivalries would finally be put the rest. An ancient question of what was more powerful the sharingan or the byakugan would finally be put to rest.

Bets were placed, the odds were in favor of neji. An extra year of experience. But the supporters were even. Some knew to respect the hyuuga, others believed in the rumors of the uchiha. Others remembered the rise of Itachi.

"Begin!"

The battle of legacies had begun.

Sasuke jumped back as Neji entered the standard hyuuga stance. Equally powerful in offense and defense. Sasuke assumed a defensive stance with his sword as well. It's scabbard pointing directly at Neji. creating a first line of defense between the two.

Sharingan stared into the Byakugan. Byakugan stared into the Sharingan.

Sasuke acted first, drawing in his sword as he quickly performed the hand seals for one of the uchiha jutsu.

"Pheonix flower jutsu."

Multiple projectiles of flame shot from Sasuke's mouth flying towards neji at remarkable speed. The hyuuga smiled. A quick spin on his foot and Neji was a whirling cyclone of chakra deflecting the blows out and away from himself. The damage was minimum and Sasuke had spent more chakra then he did.

Advantage Neji. In a war of attrition. Neji would win.

Sasuke smiled. So it was true Neji had the hyuuga's ultimate defense, Rotation. All Sasuke had to do to win was break through it. Though the last time he went up against an invincible defense Naruto had to come save him.

It would be different this time.

"Long ranged attacks won't." Neji began. But sasuke had moved into a stricking stance with this Katana. Down and low to the hip. A horizontal and powerful slash would be coming. Neji noted the Chakra being pushed into Sasuke's leg for the briefest of moments.

It was almost too late to react to. With speed the nearly rivaled Rock Lee's Sasuke swung his sword overhead at Neji, the fluid motion leaving a black crescent in it's wake. Neji barely had the time to dodge to the side. When did Sasuke switch from a horizontal swing to a vertical one.

It didn't matter. Neji had dodged it. And Sasuke was near.

Byakugan met Sharingan.

"You're with in my field of divination." Neji said coldly. Sasuke had just enough time to think that Neji talked to much.

"Eight trigrams: thirty two palms."

This Sasuke was not expecting. The Sharingan gave him the insight. But he couldn't dodge all the attacks that were about to befall him. Not entirely. Sacrifices had to be made. The first two strikes, Sasuke tilted against, one against his upper shoulder, the other in his lower abdomen.

The next two strikes were aimed on the opposite sides. Sasuke shifted slightly again, forcing neji to miss the chakra point barely. Four more strikes for a total of eight, targeting around the heart and other organs. Sasuke couldn't avoid those. He sacrificed his core.

Eight strikes targeting his limbs again, Sasuke moved again, avoiding the direct connection with the chakra points. Lightning elemental chakra still flowed through his limbs granting him the speed, and hardening the skin so that his nerves wouldn't be damaged as well by the hyuugas style.

Sixteen strikes. For a total of thirty two. These came in a flurry. Nowhere was safe. Sasuke's chakra flow was disrupted. But not stopped. He could still fight. The final blow. A massive palm thrust to the stomach sent Sasuke flying backwards.

"Pathetic" Neji said standing up right. His shoulders and head held high with pride. "Is this truly the difference between us?" Sasuke panted blood shot from his mouth. Maybe sacrificing his core wasn't the best idea he ever had.

Sasuke used his mother's sword to stand. Neji looked ready for a monologue. Good. Talking would give him time to recover.

"I guess the title of mightiest clan in Konoha belongs to the Hyuuga after all." Neji sneered. He may have hated the fate of the branch members. But he still had more pride of being a hyuuga than Sasuke did for being an Uchiha. Nobody ever said humans were simple.

Sasuke smiled. Mightest in Konoha. Better than the Akimichi, Nara, Aburama, Yamaka, Inuzuka, Uzumaki? What a bold claim to make. And then. A very Naruto idea appeared in Sasuke's head.

"As you said my clan was nothing but a bunch of copycats." Sasuke's sly smile was something Neji wanted to punch off of his face. Sasuke gripped his mother's katana tightly in both hands. Another horizontal slash. Would he feint for the vertical slash again?

"I see you wish to lose with dignity." Neji said his smirk filled with just as much pride as Sasuke's.

The cheers from his teammates reached Sasuke's ears. That's right. He had to fight them in the finals. They promised as much.

"Fang over fang!"

Neji's eyes widened as Sasuke turned into a black swirling torrent of sword strikes barreling towards him with incredible speed. The Inuzuka's signature jutsu. Because of the sword it's range and diameter was wider. Because of the Sharingan it was more accurate. Because it was Sasuke it was more powerful.

"Rotation!"

The spinning drill of Sasuke collided with Neji's rotation, an action that sent Sasuke flying off to the side. Leaving a wake of dust.

"Partial expansion Jutsu!"

From the dust cloud a massive arm holding an even larger sword appeared swinging it towards Neji. Another rotation. Deflecting the sword up and away and sending it out of Sasuke's single handed grip.

"Shadow imitation Jutsu!"

Neji's eyes widened as the shadow of the stadium shot towards him. He jumped back to try and avoid it. It stopped for a moment. He was out of the ranged. Neji smirked at Sasuke. Then the sword landed right on top of the shadow. Adding just enough length to it to catch Neji.

"How did you?" Neji asked as he struggled against the Shadow manipulation jutsu.

"I got them from my classmates when they fought in the preliminaries." Sasuke said walking towards neji slowly forcing neji to do the same. "I suppose I should thank them for their jutsu." Sasuke said as he continued to stare at Neji with the red Sharingan.

Sasuke pulled the sword out of the ground. Neji mimicked the motion with empty air.

"I'll give you that Hyuuga are one of the mightiest clans in Konoha. Sure." Sasuke said as he closed the distance between the two. "But when you fight an Uchiha. A copycat. You fight against all of Konoha."

"Except the Hyuuga. You can't copy our techniques." Neji offered desperately clinging to something.

Sasuke smiled and leveled his scabbarded sword with neji's shoulder.

"You are within my field of divination." Sasuke said coolly. He was mocking Neji now. The boy was still struggling against the shadow imitation Jutsu. The jutsu was really taxing on Sasuke as well. Sasuke needed to finish this now.

"Eight trigrams. Uchiha style. Seven strikes!"

The Shadow imitation jutsu was released. To late. To late to dodge too late to use Rotation. To late to counter attack.

The first swing struck Neji's primary leg. It would bruise if not break due to the blow. The second swing hit Neji's left arm. The third swing was a thrust to the stomach. Sending neji back and away. Sasuke was there waiting for him.

The fourth swing was to Neji's back. Sending him skyward. The fifth strike intercepted Neji's attempt at a counter attack. That elbow was going to take weeks to heal. The sixth strike was a full crescent moon from below neji and slammed into his stomach, sending him back down to the ground.

Neji landed with a thud dirt being sent flying everywhere. The seventh strike missed neji's neck by mere inches burying the scabbard deep into the ground. Neji was defeated.

"You used the jutsu of three different clans, then combined the eight trigrams with Lee's Primary lotus?" Neji asked strained. He couldn't move left leg or right arm at the moment.

"Yep." Sasuke said smiling.

"Then I suppose it was my fate to lose to you." Neji admitted sighing. "Proctor I give up." Sasuke shook his head but didn't say anything. It wasn't his place to.

"Winner Sasuke Uchiha." The crowd roared with applause. Sasuke saw Naruto and Kurama giving him a thumbs up. That was worth more than the cheers of the village.

XXXX

Naruto should have been excited for his turn to fight. He should have been utterly giddy to show off his new jutsu. Hell he wanted to show off right now by making a staircase out of trees to the arena floor.

But he had been told by Tenzo, Kakashi, and even the old man in the hat that if he used Wood Jutsu he would not be promoted to Chunin. Naruto hated secrets. Which was a bit Ironic because he hadn't told anybody that his biggest secret, the one that he held the Kyuubi in his stomach. Was actually even more fucked up than that.

Like really fucked up.

Atleast he had a bit of Medical jutsu Sakura had tried to drill into him. Most of what he needed to do was bite himself. Being an Uzumaki was neat.

His lack of excitement practically vanished once it his turn to fight. He jumped down into the stadium with an excited yip.

He arrived at the center and excitedly waited for his opponent. He knew the guy used puppets to attack and he already developed a super cool plan to counter attack. Well it wasn't really a plan. It was more like an idea. It involved clones. And paper bombs lots of paper bombs. He did wonder if the puppet was explosion or fire proof. It seemed pretty sturdy.

"Proctor I forfeit!" Kankuro shouted from the Balcony.

"Winner by forfeit Naruto Uzumaki."

Naruto had never felt so cheated.

XXXX

AN: I can't do 10k chapters anymore! To damn long! You guys get 6-8k chapters now. You also don't get a beta! Muhaha… unless somebody volunteers.

Anyways I really like how I did Sasuke's fight. Shame neji is going to be a prick forever though. Also I totally gave Sasuke a sword. I blame The Boy and The Beast I watched that movie twice now. So cool.

Next Episode. Kurama vs Shukaku! What could possible go wrong?


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